Cebu’s disaster managment office proposes P400-million fund for 2027

Local

A PROPOSED third warehouse, disaster preparedness, capacity building and training, and equipping the disaster risk reduction and management office are among the priority initiatives that the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) will undertake in 2027.

This, as the Cebu Provincial Government is proposing a P400 million disaster risk reduction and management fund for next year.

In its third-quarter meeting on Thursday, Sept. 17, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council approved the Annual Investment Plan (AIP) of PDRRMO for 2027, wherein the bulk of the budget is for disaster preparedness amounting to P168 million.

PDRRMO chief Dennis Pastor said among the huge allocation is equipping the office and the proposed third warehouse where to preposition the goods and equipment for disaster response in the west.

The Capitol is already working on the construction of two warehouses which will be constructed in Sibonga (south) and Danao (north), which Pastor hopes to start this year.

The planned warehouse in the western area has still to be identified.

“Preparedness gyud ta, not only equipment, but also training, capacity development, and we always spend for our DRRMOs we have to capacitate them kay pila gud na sila katuig nga wala sila pansina, so kinahanglan gyud nga irefresh. So training gyud tao bahala mogasato ta, because preparedness is an investment” Pastor said in a phone interview.

Included in PDRRMO’s disaster preparedness is the anticipation of the effects of the Super El Niño, which is expected to hit the country starting at the end quarter this year up to next year.

Pastor added that since the Capitol is set to purchase two sea ambulances after the DILG’s clearance, the budget for its opereation will also be sourced from the P400 million.

He clarified that the fund for acquiring the ambulance is from the trust fund and not from the DRRM fund.

Aside from the disaster preparedness fund allocation, under the AIP, the disaster prevention and mitigation iniatives gets P28 million; P56 milion for disaster response and early recovery; and another P28 million for recovery and rehabilitation.

Another P120 million is also for the Quick Response Fund for emergency response, relief operations among others in disaster-affected areas.

The proposed AIP of PDRRMO will be endosed to the Provincial Development Council (PDC) before it will be submitted to the provincial board also for approval.(MyTVCebu)