City to probe CSWD over bloated calamity report

By Maricar M. Calubiran

Peñaredondo

The Sangguniang Panlungsod will conduct an investigation on the questionable calamity report submitted by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) regarding the number of affected families in the recent flood in the districts of Jaro and La Paz.

Councilor Merci Drilon-Garcia, chair of the committee on social services and welfare will lead the conduct of the investigation. The investigation stemmed from the report submitted by CSWD Officer Claire Dignadice.

In her report to the city council dated September 19, 2005, Dignadice said there were 3,646 families or 18,230 persons affected in the last September 16, 2005 flashfloods in Jaro and Lapaz brought about by heavy rains. The figure covers 13 barangays in Jaro and two in Lapaz. She recommended before the council to declare these barangays under the state of calamity.

According to the CSWD report, there were 189 families or 945 persons affected in Baldoza, Lapaz and 398 families or 1,990 persons were also affected in Tabuc Suba.

In Jaro district, barangays San Isidro and Tabuc Suba have the most number of affected families. San Isidro has 635 families or 3,175 affected persons while Tabuc Suba has 600 families or 3,000 affected persons.

There were 200 families/ 1,000 persons affected in San Pedro, Benedicto 141 families/ 705 persons; Simon Ledesma 173 families/865 persons; Ma. Cristina 126 families/ 630 persons; San Roque 219 families/1,095 persons; Luna 40 families/200 persons; Arguelles 100 families/500 persons; Democracia 216 families/1,080 persons; Fajardo 50 families/250 persons; Cubay 499/2,495 persons and Lopez Jaena with 60 families or 300 families.

In last Wednesday’s regular session, Majority Floor Leader Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo said the CSWD should first justify whatever expenses they incurred during the flood before the council declares these 15 barangays under the state of calamity.

The city could spend 5 percent of its calamity fund should these 15 barangays be declared under the state of calamity. The 5 percent calamity fund is taken from the city’s entire annual budget.

Peñaredondo said many would not believe on the figures submitted by the CSWD. He also argued that what happened last September 16 is not even a flashflood as what the CSWD had reported. The water only overflowed from the drainage system and not from the Iloilo River, he said.

Peñaredondo said even Mayor Jerry Treñas complained on how they arrived with such figures. “We have to check on this,” Peñaredondo said.

“The city has to be careful on the disbursement of the calamity fund. It’s only September and we still have a long way to go before 2005 ends,” Peñaredondo said.