UNBELIEVABLE
No need for SP to declare state of calamity

By Maricar M. Calubiran

For City Councilor Perla Zulueta there is no justifiable reason to declare the 13 barangays in Jaro and two barangays in La Paz allegedly hit by flashflood last September 16, 2005 under state of calamity.

Zulueta was one of the city councilors who attended last week’s hearing of the committee on social services chaired by Councilor Merci Drilon-Garcia.

She said a barangay could only be declared under a state of calamity if 25% of its population is affected, if there are losses of life and property and if the affected families were evacuated and could not work because of the calamity.

Zulueta, however, noted that the CSWD has released relief goods immediately after receiving the report of the barangay captains.

She said it does not follow that if the CSWD has already distributed relief goods, the city has to declare the barangays under the state of calamity.

The councilor noted that the figures reported by the CSWD were “unbelievable.”
She observed that in Tabuc Suba, Lapaz, the barangay officials only reported 200 people affected. In the CSWD report, more than 2,000 people were listed.

In the CSWD report, Tabuc Suba, Lapaz has 398 affected families or 1,990 persons affected. The number of affected families was multiplied by five. The result became the number of affected persons.

Zulueta noted that the bloated figures came from the CSWD.

Meanwhile, sources at the city hall said Councilor Jed Mabilog, vice chair of the committee on social services allegedly told City Social Welfare Officer Claire Dignadice not to pin down the barangay captains.