By Mary Judaline F. Partlow
DUMAGUETE CITY, (PNA) — The local government of this city has set aside an P1-million allocation as financial assistance to areas in southern Negros Oriental that were hit by massive flooding last October 6.
Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria said the city government prefers to hand over the P1-million aid in cash rather than in kind to Bayawan City and the municipalities of Sta. Catalina and Basay because it is easier for the Dumaguete government.
However, the said areas have requested that the financial aid be in the form of relief goods such as food stuffs and medicines to cut down on government processes and speed up relief efforts for flood victims, many of whom are still staying in evacuation centers.
During a special session of the Dumaguete City council Friday, Mayor Sagarbarria sought authority to allocate the P1-million financial assistance, broken down as follows: P500,000 for the hardest hit Bayawan City, P300,000 for Basay and P200,000 for Sta. Catalina.
The funding assistance will be taken from the 30 percent of the Dumaguete City government’s five percent calamity fund.
According to Mayor Sagarbarria, he prefers to hand the financial aid in cash as the city government would only need an official receipt from the recipient.
Sending relief aid in kind for the financial assistance requires a long process as required by the Commission on Audit.
The city council unanimously passed a resolution for the relief aid to the flood-hit areas in southern Negros Oriental.