DAGUPAN City is the only community in the province that has not been placed in a state of calamity.

“The present situation of our city does not warrant the declaration of a state of calamity.”

Thus said Mayor Benjamin Lim following the decision of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan to declare the entire province under state of calamity. Dagupan as a chartered city is not under the administrative jurisdiction of the provincial government.

Lim, however, quickly clarified that the non-declaration will not hinder the city from using its calamity fund.

City Administrator Vlad Mata earlier pointed out that under the new rules of the Commission on Audit, the city government can draw 70% of the calamity fund without need for the declaration of a state of calamity.

However, Barangay Captain Conrado Muyalde of Salisay was dismayed by Lim’s decision since affected barangays cannot use their respective calamity funds unless the city is declared in a state of calamity.

He said his barangay council already purchased relief goods for distribution to flood victims in their community anticipating the declaration but now that the declaration does not appear imminent, the distribution was stopped.

He laments that without the declaration, barangays will have to depend on the city hall for assistance and expressed concern that distribution of the city’s calamity fund may be influenced by political considerations in the face of the forthcoming barangay elections.

Meanwhile, Lim allayed fears of some members of the Sangguniang Panglunsod that the unused calamity fund will revert to the national treasury if not used by the end of the year.

“Hindi mawawala ang pondo. Kapag ito’y hindi nagamit, idadagdag ito sa susunod na budget. It will not go somewhere. It remains in Dagupan,” Lim explained.

Councilor Jeslito Seen, committee chairman on appropriation admitted on Friday that the members of the city council were invited by City Administrator Vlad Mata via text but the purpose of the invitation was not clear.

The meeting did not push through but the six councilors who responded instead decided to attempt a special session to look into a possible declaration by the council. But the lack of quorum prevented it from acting on the proposal.

Nonetheless, Seen said that even if there was a quorum, the city council on its own could not have declared a state of calamity without receipt of a recommendation from the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC).

The proposal in the city council to make the declaration was based on reports that portions of Tapuac, Pantal, Salisay, Mayombo, Bacayao Sur, Bacayao Norte, Mangin, Mamalingling, Malued, Lasip Grande, Pogo Grande, Lasip Chico remain underwater.

Fishpen and fishpond owners also had to prematurely harvest their bangus that forced a drastic drop of prices of fish in the market.

“Ang Dagupan ay palaging handa sa mga ganitong kalamidad dahil mayroon tayong proper training. Kung natatandahan ninyo, ang World Health Organization at ang USAID ay pinili ang Dagupan upang sanayin sa mga ganitong paghahanda sa panahon ng kalamidad,” said Lim.

Eugene Cabrera, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense in Region I lauded the operation of the CDRRMC when he came to assess the response system last October 20.

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