STATE OF CALAMITY DECLARED IN JUBAN TOWN

By: Bennie A. Recebido

JUBAN, Sorsogon -- Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) of Sorsogon has just received this morning the copy of Resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Juban declaring the town under the state of calamity.

Report to PDRRMO bared that on December 30 last year, the Sangguniang Bayan of Juban met and came to a consensus of giving the local government the authority to use its calamity fund to help internally displaced persons due to never-ending rains that resulted to flooding, lahar flows from the recent Mt. Bulusan’s activities and the evacuation of thousands of individuals there.

“It was on Monday, January 10, that Resolution No. 51 (Series of 2010) was approved placing the town of Juban under the state of calamity,” Sorsogon PDRMO head Jose Lopez said.

Lopez also said that in a report forwarded to them by Binanuahan barangay captain Alberto Cayetano, the flood river control project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in their barangay in Juban collapsed on Monday night as the rains continue for past three weeks now.

“The river control project that should protect the rice fields in the said barangay was washed out and resulted to complete destruction of the source of livelihood of many residents there,” he added.

Meanwhile, Juban Mayor Jimmy Fragata on Tuesday also met and ordered all the barangay captains to review their contingency plan and recommend possible strategies that would help in the immediate implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plan in their respective areas.

He also commended the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils (BDRRMC) for its immediate and systematic disaster management consequential to a safe and damaged-free series of evacuation activities.

Other towns heavily affected by incessant rains are Magallanes, Bulan and Matnog with some 1,500 families evacuated. (PIA Sorsogon)