Damage from El Nino in Cebu hits P100 million

April 8, 2019

CEBU CITY-- Cebu sustained P100 million damage, as of April 5, from the El Niño, according to a Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) report Monday.

PDRRMO head Baltazar Tribunalo said there is a rise in dengue cases in some towns as two deaths were reported.

The Cebu Provincial Board approved last March 25, 2019 a resolution to declare Cebu Province under the state of calamity, following an alert f the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

According to the report, five local government units also declared their own calamity state. These are towns of Ginatilan, Minglanilla Samboan, Sogod and the City of Carcar.

The Toledo city council has yet to adopt the council’s declaration with the mayor’s approval, according to PDRRMO.

Cebu has 44 towns and seven component cities, having a total of 51 local government units.

Elvie Subang, PDRRMO information management section head, said number, 16 local government units have been affected by El Niño, and which was checked and verified by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Seventeen local government units or 1,192 farmers and fisherfolks in these places claimed indemnity worth P8.98 million from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.

Of the 17 LGUs, Tribunalo said there are 14 local government units, which are the host of 50 marine protected areas that are affected by an outbreak of the Crown of Thorns.

Crown of Thorns is a star fish with venomous spines that destroy corals, thrives during El Niño.

The Cebu Provincial Government allotted P59 million “quick response fund” in their 2019 annual budget, said Subang.

They are also targeting P25 million for this “long dry season” said Subang.

PDRRMO coordinated with provincial social welfare and development office and the provincial agriculture department for food and non-food items to be purchased as part of emergency assistance for farmers and fisherfolks. DMS