DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/19 Dec) – The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City has unanimously approved an ordinance authorizing Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to donate P3 million from the calamity fund for the three cities in Mindanao badly hit by tropical storm “Sendong.
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During the special session today, almost all councilors were present except Rene Elias Lopez and Rachel Zozobrado, who was on vacation leave. Councilor Melchor Quitain served as the city council’s presiding officer as Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was elsewhere on official business.
Even though the councilors were on a Christmas break, the special session was conducted in pursuant to the order of the mayor to immediately approve the ordinance for the donation intended for the cities of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and El Salvador (in Misamis Oriental).
The resolution to enact an ordinance authored by Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, chair of the city council’s committee on finance, ways, means and appropriations, stated that the massive flooding in the areas resulted to loss of lives and damage to properties.
Data from the website of National Risk Reduction and Management Council as of press time stated that 632 people already died, majority of them from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
The resolution cited that the city will allocate P2 million to purchase food and other necessities for the flood victims and P1 million as cash assistance to the affected areas “to assuage the unfortunate and tragic fate suffered by our fellow countrymen” in the three cities.
At present, the city still has a balance of P87.3 million in its calamity fund, including its augmentation from the newly-approved supplemental budget. Citing the Local Government Code, Ortiz said the calamity fund can be utilized for relief operations and emergency assistance to the flood victims.
Sec. 5 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Local Government Code stated that the city can “provide financial assistance to other LGUs whose area or portion thereof had been declared under state of calamity by its Sanggunian.
” (MindaNews)
