City council OKs cash aid for calamity-hit areas

While the Cebu City government has already extended cash assistance to major areas hit by supertyphoon Yolanda, it will also give aid to other typhoon-stricken communities.

The Cebu City Council in its regular session yesterday approved, in mass motion, a resolution to extend more financial assistance to other areas hit by typhoon Yolanda.

The Council approved P300,000 to be given to each of the municipalities of Padre Burgos, Albuera, Bato and Merida in Leyte and another P200,000 to the municipality of Tabuelan in Cebu and Batasan Island in the municipality of Tubigon in Bohol.

“Due to the supertyphoon Yolanda, the said town (Padre Burgos) suffered tremendous destruction, damaging many houses, buildings and livelihood, particularly coral reefs that affect their marine and tourism goals,” said councilor Hanz Abella in his resolution.

The resolution originally sought the approval of P200,000 assistance to Padre Burgos, but Councilor Margot Osmeña, who heads the committee on budget and finance, filed a motion seeking to raise the assistance to P300,000.

She also moved to include allocating cash assistance to the five other municipalities affected by the typhoon.

The Cebu City government had earlier given a total of P12 million in cash assistance to northern Cebu towns and provinces in Eastern Visayas.