After landslide in Sirao: Cebu City to fund road rehab and evac center

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government will set aside funds for the rehabilitation of roads as well as for the construction of a temporary evacuation center for the landslide-affected residents in Barangay Sirao.

This, after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña vowed to allocate funds to repair the infrastructure damaged by the recent landslide in the barangay.

The expenses for the rehabilitation and construction of the temporary evacuation center will be charged under the city’s disaster fund which still has P143 million, based on record.

During the ocular inspection done by Councilor Jerry Guardo, the City Council’s Chairman on Infrastructure and Urban Planning, together with Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) Operations Chief Genevieve Alcoseba, they noticed that there were a number of infrastructures destroyed by the landslide.

In an earlier interview, Alcoseba said the houses of more than a hundred families have been damaged because of the landslide.

“During sa atong ocular inspection, makita nato unsa ka grabe ang apektar sa landslide. Naa’y balay natabunan na gyud, ang gym almost 1/8 naghirig natabunan na sa yuta, ang panimalay nga uban ang first floor nahimong second floor tungod kay natuwad sa grabe sa impact sa yuta nga nidahili,” she earlier said.

In a separate interview, Guardo adds that the road from Sirao to Barangay Pulangbato is impassable. Because of this, commuters now have to go through Barangay Guba in order to reach Pulangbato.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works is conducting an ongoing inspection at the area to identify what needs to be rehabilitated in order to determine the appropriation of funds.

With this, Guardo said he would ask North District Representative Raul Del Mar to provide congressional funds as additional financing for the road rehabilitation project.

He is also coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct their own ocular inspection on the affected road so he can also get their recommendations.

For the evacuation site, Guardo said that Sirao’s barangay officials have already identified an area within the jurisdiction of the barangay where the temporary shelters will be constructed.

He said he intends to ask the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to inspect the identified location to check if the area is suitable.

Meantime, the DWUP is now validating the list of affected families for the releasing of financial aid from the city government.

Alcoseba said that within the week, she would discuss with Osmeña if he was amenable to her proposal to give P20,000 financial aid to the affected residents.

She is also checking to see if the landslide-affected residents can avail of Osmeña’s rental subsidy program. The rental subsidy is worth P12, 000 for three months.

At present, the affected families are being sheltered in the houses of their relatives in neighboring barangays. —/JBB (FREEMAN)