Final aid is P18.5 M
35 towns in Cebu, Bohol provinces to be given P500,000 each, Maribojoc to be given P1-million
THE 17th City Council yesterday hastened the approval of an ordinance extending financial assistance worth P18.5 million to 36 affected municipalities in Bohol and Cebu provinces that were struck by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, October 15.
At least 35 municipalities, 10 from Cebu province and 25 from Bohol, will receive P500,000 each while P1 million will be given to Maribojoc town in Bohol, whose mayor, Leoncio Evasco Jr., served the city as chief of staff of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for more than a decade.
The municipalities-re- cipients from Cebu are Argao, Boljoon, Cebu City, Dumanjug, Mandaue City, Minglanilla, Sibonga, Tabogon, Talisay City, and Toledo City.
Meanwhile, receiving P500,000 each from Bohol province are Albuquerque, Alicia, Arlequera, Balilihan, Batuan, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape, Carmen, Catigbian, Corella, Duero, Getafe, Guindulman, Inabanga, Jagna, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Panglao, Sierra Bullones, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City, Tubigon and Ubay.
“The city government has never failed to give assistance to LGUs affected
by disasters. Walay pili ang atong Mayor sa pagtabang sa nanginahanglan (Our Mayor is always ready to give help to those in need),” Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) chair for committee on finance, ways and means, said during the council session yesterday.
Lawyer Jhopee Avanceña-Agustin, who was invited to the special session, bared that the source of fund for the cash aid is the city’s disaster funds, with a total appropriation of P129,588,824.40.
She also said the mayor initially wanted to hand the amount in cash but later decided to give it in forms of checks, instead.
Agustin said Duterte will also leave Davao City for Bohol and Cebu on Sunday together with his executive assistant Bong Go, Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Francisco Villaroman, a representative from the City Treasurer’s Office and an officer of the Commission on Audit (COA).
Maria Luisa Bermudo, City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) chief, said a total of 170 barangays with 36,020 families having 152,805 individuals are affected in Bohol province while Cebu province has 1,302 families affected with 12,325 individuals in 15 barangays.
The data, she said, is based on the record released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The number of fatalities from the magnitude 7.2 quake in Central Visayas last Tuesday rose to 171 as of Friday morning, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Of the 171, the most recent deaths were from Bohol, the NDRRMC noted in its 6 a.m. update.
It said that of the 171 fatalities, 159 were from Bohol, 11 from Cebu and one from Siquijor.
The NDRRMC also said some 1,581 aftershocks had been recorded since Tuesday, with 29 of them being felt.
The NDRRMC added 375 were injured while 20 are still missing.
So far, the quake has affected 676,065 families or 3,426,718 people. Of these, 20,034 families or 97,618 people are staying in 85 evacuation centers.
The disaster council also estimated the damage in roads, bridges and flood control services to cost about P563.66 million in Cebu and Bohol alone.