BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance upgrading the relief and rehabilitation assistance being extended by the local government to victims of disasters in the city.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated it will be a declared policy of the local government to provide relief and rehabilitation assistance to victims of disasters and calamities.
The ordinance stipulated that among the relief and rehabilitation assistance to be extended by the local government include relief assistance, emergency food assistance – P250 per day for a maximum of 30 days; assistance to individuals in crisis situations – maximum of P10,000 per beneficiary; financial assistance to bereaved family members – P30,000 per dead victim primarily to cover funeral expenses and P40,000 per rescuer or government official or employee who dies in the performance of or is involved in disaster operations.
The ordinance stipulated that should the victim be missing, the family shall be given a financial assistance of P2,500 a day for a maximum of 7 days and if the victim is still missing on the 12th day, the family shall receive a financial assistance that will complete the P30,000 stated in the proposed measure.
Yangot asserted that there must be proper investigation by the concerned authorities to determine whether or not the victim was or within the premises of the disaster area when the calamity happened.
In terms of rehabilitation assistance, the ordinance identified the said aid as food for work and cash for work – P280 per day per participant for 10 days; emergency shelter assistance per family shall be a maximum of P30,000 for totally damaged residential houses and a minimum of P2,000 to a maximum of P20,000 to victims of partially damaged residential houses.
He claimed under the supplemental feeding, there will be P20 per child per day of assistance for the next 30 days for 6 months to ensure the improvement of the child and other beneficiaries.
The ordinance tasked the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to craft the implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the provisions of the measure and it shall also determine the beneficiaries and mount to be given to the said persons after a through assessment by the concerned social workers pursuant to the established criteria and procedures.
The ordinance claimed that funds for the sustained implementation of the noble program shall be included in the annual budget of the CSWDO and that the same shall be obtained from the 5 percent calamity fund of the local government that is currently lodged with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) to avoid the exhaustion of funds for such purposes.
Yangot asserted it is difficult to imagine that our P1 today could only buy a piece of candy and in the said scenario, as consumers are able to purchase less than before, the increasing prices of goods have hit the people so hard thereby resulting to compelling them in seeking for a continuous raise in wages to keep with the prices of basic goods and services. By Dexter A. See
