The city government of Baguio has reached out to help the victims of the super typhoon that devastated the central and southern part of the country.
Through Ordinance 119, s. 2021, the city council during its special session held Dec. 24 has authorized the grant of P5 million as financial assistance to be distributed to the identified local government units that had been severely hit and affected by Typhoon Odette.
The amount as certified available by the local finance committee was taken from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Quick Response Management Fund of the city’s 2021 annual budget
Typhoon Odette made landfall on Dec. 16 in Surigao del Norte before crossing Mimaropa, Visayas, and Mindanao, with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 260 km/h.
The typhoon brought torrential rains, violent winds, landslides, and storm surges, making nine landfalls in seven provinces. Initial data says Caraga and Regions 6, 7, 8 and 4-B were hit hardest, with communities in Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Island, Southern Leyte, Bohol, and Cebu most severely affected.
It is one of the most powerful typhoons to hit the country this year.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported a total of 2,196,432 people or 585,029 families were affected by the typhoon in 4,566 barangays.
As of Dec. 26, tens of thousands of families remain homeless. There are 378 deaths reported and 60 individuals missing. It is also estimated the total damage to infrastructure is P4 billion and agriculture, P3B worth of losses.
The ordinance stated extending help to other LGUs is an instant gesture of the City of Baguio. Helping others in need, especially during hard times and calamities, is not only its moral and social responsibility, but has already been its practice because it had also received assistance from the different LGUs and private entities when it was hit by a powerful earthquake in 1990.
A copy of the ordinance was submitted to the office of City Mayor Benjamin Magalong for signature.
The body has approved the conduct of livelihood activities at Kagitingan and Mines View barangays.
Resolution 638, s. 2021 allows Kagitingan barangay to hold a week-long fundraising activity within its jurisdiction, particularly along portions of Lapu-Lapu and Rajah Soliman streets from Dec. 24 until Jan. 1, 2022.
In its Resolution 017, s. 2021, the barangay explained the purpose of the fundraising is to gain revenue for the barangay and to extend assistance to its constituents who are seeking to earn a living during the holidays.
The organizer and participants were also asked to strictly observe recommendations of the City Health Services Office on minimum public health standards, the zoning of vendors by the City Planning and Development Office, and the traffic flow plan from the Traffic and Transportation Management Division of the City Engineer’s Office.
Also authorized in Resolution 639, s. 2021 is the conduct of a 10-day tourism market encounter by the Mines View from Dec. 25 to Jan. 4, 2022.
Barangay Resolution 51, s. 2021 stressed the activity is to help those involved in entrepreneurship and livelihood initiatives who lost their sources of income due to the pandemic to at least help restore the well-being of their families.
The venue shall be at the available space in front of the barangay hall (staging area) with conditions the barangay officials to shall help in traffic management in the area; there shall be a stall for each of the 10 livelihood associations of Mines View; the CEO shall install traffic barriers/delineators in the area for the safety of park goers and patrons of the market encounter; and the vendors shall observe all the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease guidelines on health and safety protocols in the area..
Happy and prosperous New Year to all!
April 24, 2024
