The mayor asked the City Hall department heads to help
fast-track the processing of all documents required for the release of the cash aid to families whose houses were damaged or destroyed during Typhoon Odette.
The P576 million financial assistance for the 115,000 beneficiaries will be taken from the City’s P1 billion calamity fund.
Rama tasked lawyer Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and City Councilor Gerry Guardo, chairman of logistics for post-Odette road clearing, to oversee the distribution of the financial assistance and to make sure that all the intended beneficiaries will receive their share.
“February 25, that would be the target. I need the help of the City Council and the 27 departments to make things happen,” Rama said.
The mayor explained that the distribution was delayed because they had to obligate the funds for fiscal year 2022 since the financial assistance was approved in December last year yet.
Portia Basmayor, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services, said 16 barangays are scheduled to receive their financial assistance sometime next week since the budget for these barangays has been cleared by the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO). As for the other barangays, she said the financial assistance is still on process at the City Budget Office and will have to be submitted to the City Accounting Office and the CTO for budget allocation.
The City Government had already finished the distribution of financial assistance in 18 barangays on the first week of January.