DESPITE some reservations, the Cagayan De Oro City Council on Wednesday approved the P2 million donation to victims of this week’s massive floods in Misamis Occidental.

Even, earlier today, City Mayor Rolando "Klarex” Uy personally handed over to Misamis Occidental Vice Governor Rowena Gutierrez and party the check worth P2 million. 

“The P2 million donation is from the city government,” said City Council’s committee on social services chair Councilor Girlie Balaba.

Aside from the cash aid, the city government also sent food and non-food items, including medicines and a water tanker to help ease the condition of the flood victims. 

In a proposed Ordinance No. 2022-88, Balaba said the Council appropriated the sum of P2 million under the City Disaster Reduction Management Fund to be made available as financial assistance. 

On Tuesday, at least seven persons even died here while 16,200 others have been displaced due to flooding and landslide resulting from heavy rains brought by the prevailing shear line in Northern Mindanao.

In a radio interview Tuesday, Gov. Henry Oaminal said six of those who died drowned in the floods, while one died as a result of a landslide.

Under the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act, local government units can share the five percent calamity budget allocation to other LGUs that are declared under a state of calamity if the local legislature of the donating LGU approves the assistance.

“The financial assistance was taken from the Quick Response Fund (QRF),”  Balaba said.

She added that in a special session on Wednesday, the City Council approved an ordinance that authorized the city mayor to give financial aid to the flood victims in the province of Misamis Occidental.

Balaba explained that of the total city’s calamity fund, 30 percent is set aside as a disaster quick response fund while the remaining 70 percent is for disaster management and preparation.

Under the new Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, only 30 percent of the local calamity fund shall be allocated as QRF, or stand-by fund, for relief and recovery programs.

70 percent of the local calamity fund is being set aside for disaster risk management activities, such as pre-disaster management preparedness programs and training, purchase of life-saving rescue equipment, supplies, and medicines and post-disaster activities, among others.