DAVAO CITY – The City Council of Davao approved in a special session yesterday an ordinance allowing the disbursement of food and cash assistance totaling P10 million for the five provinces in Luzon that were devastated by tropical depression “Usman” over the New Year weekend.
The passage of the ordinance allowed Mayor Sara Duterte to “utilize the 30 percent quick response fund out of the five percent Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund or calamity fund” of the city government of Davao in 2019.
The city government has set aside P130.8 million as QRF in 2019. It can be tapped in times of disaster in the city and aid other LGUs hit by calamities this year.
The ordinance indicated that at least P5 million will be allocated for food and relief assistance and the remaining P5-million cash assistance will be distributed to the five provinces – Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Sorsogon in the Bicol region, and Oriental Mindoro in Region 4-B – at P1 million each.
Central 911 head Emmanuel Jaldon in a statement said that Oriental Mindoro and Camarines Norte will receive financial assistance instead of food and relief assistance since they are difficult to access after Usman hit.
Davao CIO head Jefry Tupas confirmed Oriental Mindoro and Camarines Norte’s food and relief assistance will be converted to cash, enabling the two provinces with P2 million in cash assistance from the Davao city government.
The five provinces have been declared under the state of calamity due to the damage caused by Usman. (Antonio L. Colina IV)
