DAVAO CITY — The Davao City Council has approved a financial aid worth PHP4.25 million for the eight municipalities and city in Central Luzon affected by floods caused by storm-intensified monsoon rains last week.
In a special session on Thursday afternoon, the city council approved the ordinance to extend aid to eight municipalities and city in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan and Tarlac hit by floods brought about by southwest monsoon rains affected by Tropical Depression Josie and Tropical Storm Inday.
Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, chairman of the committee on finance, ways and means and appropriations, said the approved aid came at the request of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. It was also certified as urgent.
Dayanghirang said the money will be drawn from the PHP109-million Quick Response Fund (QRF) of the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund.
“All the requirements of the law have been complied with, the certification from the city budget office as well as the certification from the city treasurer’s office that PHP4.25 million is available, including all the declarations of the state of calamity through their resolutions and ordinances approved by their respective councils,” he said.
The areas that will receive PHP500,000 each are Paombong and Marilao in Bulacan; Dagupan City, Lingayen, Sta. Barbara and Calasiao in Pangasinan; and La Paz and Ramos in Tarlac. The town of Masantol in Pampanga will receive PHP250,000.
Dayanghirang said that under the ordinance, the beneficiaries, as well as the benefactor, will need to observe proper accounting and auditing rules set by the Department of Budget and Management and Republic Act No. 9184 or the Procurement Law.
Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag said the city will immediately deliver the assistance to the municipalities and cities to be used in their operations.
“Within the week, pinakadugay na ang next week (Within the week, at the latest next week),” he said. Al-ag said the check will be made under the name of the concerned local government units.
“Sa mga Dabawenyos, we are doing this because of recipient pud ta sa tabang sa ubang local government. Naay mga panahon sa una kita pud ang naagian og kalamidad, gitabangan pud ta (To Dabawenyos, we are doing this because we were also recipients of the aid of other local governments before. There were times that we experienced calamity. They also helped us),” he said.
Al-ag said this is the first expense of the city for this year, taken from the QRF and there is still an available PHP105 million to be used until December 31. (Armando Fenequito, Jr./PNA)
