Ordinance on disaster teams meet resistance

AN ordinance requiring owners of businesses to have their own disaster response team as a pre-requisite for approval of their business application was tabled for further discussion.

Councilor Noel Wenceslao said last Monday’s earthquake showed that the city was “unprepared” to deal with such emergencies.

But Councilor Jose Daluz III said it runs counter to the city’s business-friendly policies.

Daluz also asked on the legal basis in compelling employers to enroll members of their disaster team for accident insurance.

“I’m afraid that employers will complain because this is an added burden to them,” he said.

Wenceslao presented to the council his ordinance that proposes the creation of disaster response teams among the city’s 24,000 registered businesses, for final deliberation in yesterday morning’s session.

The ordinance requires employers with less than 50 employees to appoint a liaison officer who will act as point person for their disaster management.

Businesses with more than 50 employees are required to create a disaster management team.

Team members are to undergo training with an accredited group like ERUF, the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Cebu City Risk Reduction Management Council.

Their certificate of training is to be attached as a requirement for the application or renewal of business or the mayor’s permit.

Failure to comply with the ordinance within a period of one year from its implementation would be fined P2,500.

The building owners are given another year to comply with the requirement for the creation of a disaster team.

Another P3,500 fine is imposed for another year of violation while a P5,000 fine is imposed on the fourth year of violation together with a recommendation for the non-issuance of renewal of the applicant’s business or mayor’s permit.

“This (the creation of a disaster response team) is not a guarantee for 100 percent preparedness but this could already be start of the city’s proactive steps to dealing with emergencies,” said Wenceslao in yesterday’s session.

But Councilor Alvin Dizon also questioned the capability of the city risk reduction management council as implementor of Wenceslao’s draft ordinance.

“Monday’s earthquake was proof of the gap between the city’s disaster management and the capacity of our authorities to respond to emergencies,” said Dizon.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. added that the responsibility of implementing the disaster management ordinance is “too huge” and the city disaster office does not have the personnel to implement this.

In Congress, Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th district called on the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to update the geohazard maps to inform them of critical and disaster-prone sites in their area. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza