ANGELES CITY – “If the mayor cares, he should not have left for abroad amid the disaster in the city.”
Thus said yesterday Councilor Willie Rivera assailing Mayor Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno for going to Bangkok, Thailand after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo joined the mayor in an ocular inspection of the Balibago creek on Monday.
Rivera expressed disgust because Nepomuceno has yet to convene the Disaster Coordinating Council (DCC) which is required in declaring a state of calamity, paving the way for the release of the P50-million calamity fund.
The councilor-lawyer disclosed that the city council led by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting had declared a state of calamity despite the failure of Nepomuceno to convene the DCC.
But City Administrator Mark Allen Sison, in a text message, said “we didn’t request the city council for the declaration.”
“We committed it (calamity fund) but we have to wait for the final plan of the DPWH. We are still surveying all proposed engineering interventions either in Margot or Balibago or MacArthur Highway that is more practical, minimal cost, etc,” said Sison, answering the question on why the mayor has yet to convene the DCC. He failed to answer the question on why the mayor left for Thailand earlier this week.
Sison said the resolution (declaring a state of calamity) was passed without a quorum. He added that “according to the Commisson of Audit (COA) it should be a city-wide declaration not just one barangay.”
Rivera, for his part, said he could not “believe that the mayor should wait for the DPWH plan before convening the DCC.” He added that the “city is not under the DPWH.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s only Balibago that is threatened but the extent of the damage and threat is pervasive. Besides, Barangays Malabanias and Sta. Teresita have also been affected by erosion at the creek,” said Rivera.
“This is not just a calamity, mayor, but a disaster,” said Rivera.
Some P100 million worth of private properties had been destroyed by the erosion at the Balibago Creek since June 18.
Thus said yesterday Councilor Willie Rivera assailing Mayor Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno for going to Bangkok, Thailand after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo joined the mayor in an ocular inspection of the Balibago creek on Monday.
Rivera expressed disgust because Nepomuceno has yet to convene the Disaster Coordinating Council (DCC) which is required in declaring a state of calamity, paving the way for the release of the P50-million calamity fund.
The councilor-lawyer disclosed that the city council led by Vice Mayor Vicky Vega-Cabigting had declared a state of calamity despite the failure of Nepomuceno to convene the DCC.
But City Administrator Mark Allen Sison, in a text message, said “we didn’t request the city council for the declaration.”
“We committed it (calamity fund) but we have to wait for the final plan of the DPWH. We are still surveying all proposed engineering interventions either in Margot or Balibago or MacArthur Highway that is more practical, minimal cost, etc,” said Sison, answering the question on why the mayor has yet to convene the DCC. He failed to answer the question on why the mayor left for Thailand earlier this week.
Sison said the resolution (declaring a state of calamity) was passed without a quorum. He added that “according to the Commisson of Audit (COA) it should be a city-wide declaration not just one barangay.”
Rivera, for his part, said he could not “believe that the mayor should wait for the DPWH plan before convening the DCC.” He added that the “city is not under the DPWH.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s only Balibago that is threatened but the extent of the damage and threat is pervasive. Besides, Barangays Malabanias and Sta. Teresita have also been affected by erosion at the creek,” said Rivera.
“This is not just a calamity, mayor, but a disaster,” said Rivera.
Some P100 million worth of private properties had been destroyed by the erosion at the Balibago Creek since June 18.
