Some 12 towns in Palawan have declared “State of Calamity”, and were allowed to utilize their calamity funds for their fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The provincial board, in its special session held Tuesday, approved the “State of Calamity” declaration made by the respective municipal boards of Quezon, Cagayancillo, Rizal, Balabac, San Vicente, Linapacan, Bataraza, Coron, Busuanga, Roxas, Agutaya and Brooke’s Point.
Vice governor Dennis Socrates said that each municipality also needed to declare the same measure in order to use their funds because they were not covered by the “State of Calamity” pronouncement made earlier by the provincial government for Palawan.
“There is a directive from DILG for provinces, as well as municipalities, to pass their own declarations in order to use the quick response portion of their calamity funds. Each municipality needs to declare their own state of calamity to use the funds except the barangay,” he said.
On Friday, the entire province of Palawan was placed under the State of calamity to unlock its calamity fund in aid against COVID-19.
Board Member Leoncio Ola said that the declaration would unfreeze some P150 million calamity fund and P100 million trust fund.
Governor Jose Chaves Alvarez requested the board to approve the resolution “Recommending the declaration of the state of calamity in the whole province of Palawan pursuant to a proclamation No. 929 of President Rodrigo Duterte declaring a state of calamity throughout the Philippines due to Covid-19” through a letter dated March 20.
He said that the calamity fund will cover all calamity-related necessities such as food packs, equipment and other assistance to address the COVID-19.
“All calamity-related expenses will be covered by this appropriation such as food packs, medical necessities, and other assistance. The provincial government unlocks these fund resources to address the current problem. We also don’t know how much will be the possible expenses so that we unlock all possible source,” he said.
Aside from this, the provincial board also approved different resolutions urging all local government units to strictly implement the enhanced home quarantine guidelines, directing all barangays to produce and distribute home quarantine pass to be used by the families to buy their necessities.
