News Briefs

Pinamungahan to get more aid from Capitol

Despite political differences, the Capitol is working to provide more help  to hailstorm victims in Pinamungahan town in midwest Cebu.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she  ordered Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD) to conduct damage assessment and recommend a relief package on top of the relief goods already sent to the town.

Almost 200 houses were damaged when a hailstorm and  whirlwind hit the town last Thursday.

“We are looking at the possibility of helping them rebuild their homes. Politics will not be a hindrance,” she said.

Pinamungajan town Mayor Geraldine Yapha who belongs to the Liberal Party said the town will help provide housing materials for the victims.

Garcia , in a separate interview, said the Capitol  sent an initial of P200,000 worth of relief goods. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus

Japanese experts VISIT City Hall

A five-man delegation from Japan arrived in Cebu on Sunday for a three-day consultation with city officials on urban growth strategies.

The group yesterday met with Mayor Michael Rama and officials of the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD). They also visited the  wastewater treatment facility of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.

Today, they will visit the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill and do a field survey of the city’s flood control system.

“We will be helping the city come up with urban sustainable and development strategies which may lead to the formulation of master plans,” said Toru Hashimoto, manager of the International Cooperation Division of Yokohama City.

Yasushi Tanaka, of the Asia Pacific Department of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said  JICA is interested in supporting the city through  environmental projects.

Hashimoto said his group wanted to the identification of environmental and development strategies by September or October so that this will also be complete before the May 2013 elections.

“We want to work with open strategy which will stipulate vision, options the city have and what programs they want to initiate. The master plan can be formulated later on,” he said. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

Capitol releases P29.5M for barangay projects

The Capitol yesterday released P29.5 million worth of financial assistance to barangays.

Town and city mayors, barangay captains received the financial aid from Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and  different offices of the Provincial Board (PB) members.

Part of the project funds came from the PB legislative assistance fund (LAF).

Gov. Garcia, in her speech, said she intends to make this distribution of financial assistance a monthly event.

“Himoon na ta ni nga monthly habit aron magkita-kita ta unya dili na ta maglimtanay. Maayo gani makakita ta sa ubang kapitan

(We will make this a monthly habit so that we would be able to see each other and we won’t forget each other. Its good that we see some barangay captains here today),” she said.

Meanwhile, Garcia  announced that funds will be released for the construction of birthing centers and classrooms for each local government unit.

“Unless kamo na ang mobalibad, i-download na nato ang maong kantidad. Mas efficient nga paagi. More economical (Unless you would be the ones to refuse doing it, we will download the amount to your respective LGU. It would be more efficient, more economical),” she told the mayors and other officials present.

She said it was the responsibility of the local government to implement the project. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus