DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/ 21 December) – The city government has increased its financial assistance from P6 million to P8 million for areas in Eastern Visayas affected by Tropical Depression “Urduja”.
In its special session on Thursday, the city council approved an ordinance authorizing City Mayor Sara Duterte to utilize a portion of the 30-percent Quick Response Fund from the 5-percent calamity fund for the victims of “Urduja”.
Of the P8 million, P1 million each will go to Tacloban City and Ormoc City in Leyte Province, Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar provinces; P500,000 each will be given to the towns of Can-Avid and Llorente in Eastern Samar, Sta. Fe Barugo in Leyte, Zumarraga in Samar, and Biliran in Biliran province.
Based on the report released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (NDRRMC), 281,902 families or 224,725 persons were affected by “Urduja” in MIMAROPA, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga regions.
The tropical depression destroyed 171 houses in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga and caused P543.2 million in damages to public infrastructure such as national roads and P475.3 million in agriculture.
Meanwhile, the city government made preparations for tropical storm “Vinta” which was expected to make landfall between late evening of Thursday and early Friday in Surigao del Sur.
In an interview, Central 911 chief Emmanuel Jaldon said they have placed the city under alert level 2 and put at least 300 of their personnel on standby for possible rescue operations during the duration of the storm.
He said they also expect business billboards to be taken down by owners as part of “standard procedures”.
Jaldon said they have already done checking their rescue equipment. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)