Dagupan City in state of calamity

Posted on June 1, 2003 - Filed Under News |

RESPONDING to the crisis at hand, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Dagupan declared the city under the state of calamity during an emergency session last Wednesday.

Vice Mayor Alvin Fernandez said Resolution No. 4140-2003 declaring the a state of calamity was necessary to enable the barangay officials to respond to the critical needs of the city populace affected by the calamity, numbering 39,996 persons in the city’s 31 barangays based on report of the City Social Service Office.

The declaration enable   the city government to use part of its   five per- cent calamity fund to buy relief goods and other needs for affected constituents distressed from the flood.  

Those who attended the emergency session included Councilors Farah Decano, Michael Fernandez, Jose Netu Tamayo, Fausto Cuison, Danilo Torio, Eric Muñoz and Charise Perez.

The mayor’s secretary, Elmer Lorica, City Agriculturist Perlita Ugaban and City Social Welfare Officer Elsa Santillan gave the council and update of the  flood an relief operations in the    city. This prompted the body to pass the measure.

Lorica said there were four evacuation centers that were  set up for the flood victims. They are the Bolosan Elementary School, Caranglaan Elementary School, West Central Elementary School and the Dagupan City Water District building at barangay Tambac.

Ugaban reported to the city council that initial losses from aqua culture were placed at P30 million, consisting of fingerlings, Pl.25 million; post-fingerlings, P5.27 million; marketable, P23.244 million.

Estimated losses from the various fish pens that were washed out by rampaging floodwaters were not available.

Action groups were formed by the City Disaster Coordinating Council headed by Mayor Benjamin Lim that covered the eastern, northern, southern and island barangays.

At the height of  typhoon “Chedeng”, bangus below their marketable sizes were prematurely harvested and sold at almost give-away price of from P25 to P30 per kilo, from a previous high of P80.

Santillan said her office listed down 39,996 persons affected from 31 barangays. At that time, her office was already repacking  a thousand relief goods for distribution to the evacuation centers.

At the height of the flood, the Dagupan City Police led by Superintendent Nelson Vidal reported that water levels in the street ranged from one foot to 4 1/2 feet, affecting Bacayao Sur, Bolosan old road, Bolosan highway, Caranglaan, Herrero-Perez, Lasip Chi co, Lasip Grande, Mamalingling, Mangin, Salisay, Tambac, Tapuac and Tebeng.

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