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Although Cebu City barely felt the lashing of typhoon Pepeng, the Cebu City Council prepared for the worst and approved a resolution releasing P10 million from the city's calamity fund.
The City Council said the amount would be used for ?pro-active? measures to guard against adverse effects of ?Pepeng and other forthcoming typhoons.
The amount con be used for disaster operations if super typhoon Pepeng affects the city.
?We have to mobilize heavy equipment and other resources of the city. Each barangay will be monitored, especially those who live near rivers,? said Councilor Gerardo Carillo, who also heads the Cebu City Disaster Coondinating Council (CCDCC).
The city council yesterday held a special session for this.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier placed the entire country under a state of calamity to ensure that all government resources would be ready for a worse-case scenario.
This allows local governments to tap five percent of their budgets for calamity purposes, and trade officials to set price ceilings on basic commodities.
Carillo earlier asked for P2 million for post-typhoon disaster operations but the council increased the amount to P10 million to cover future weather disturbances.
The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) was told to be ready for evacuations.
Public schools have been prepared to house possible evacuees and emergency food packs are ready to be distributed as needed.
Carillo said he worried about over 300 families whose houses were built near river banks.
Barangay officials were directed to monitor these families and advise them to leave the area to avoid any accident.
Fortunately, typhoon Pepang yesterday did not affect Cebu at all.
Pagasa weather observer Boy Arciaga said the rough waves and occasional rainfall felt here were caused by the southwest monsoon (habagat).
?The typhoon did not hit Central Visayas. The gusts yesterday were due to the southwest monsoon or habagat,? he said.
Arciaga said that Pepeng which has a wind velocity of 175 kph to 210 kph reduced its speed from 17 kilometers per hour to 15 kilometers per hour when it hit land yesterday.
Pepeng is expected to head for Aparri today.
Estrellita Escañan, provincial coordinator of the Office of the Civil Defense at the Capitol, said her office would continue to monitor the weather disturbance and coordinate with local governments for updates and requests for aid.
Arciaga said the rough seas and strong winds now felt in the island are caused by the monsoon or habagat.
The habagat which affects the western side of the archipelago, is felt from February to the early part of October of each year.
Arciaga said the eastern side of the country will experience rough seas and strong winds from mid-October with the northeast monsoon or Amihan. /With Reporter Doris C. Bongcac
