CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — The Cebu Provincial Board has urged Governor Pamela Baricuatro to provide financial assistance to nine churches severely damaged by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Cebu on September 30, this year.
Under the PB proposal, each of the nine identified churches will receive ₱2 million in aid.
These are: Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church in Bantayan; Capelinha de Fatima Replica in San Remigio; St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish Church in Kawit, Medellin; San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in Malabuyoc; Virgen de Los Remedios Parish Church in Odlot, Bogo City; the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan; San Juan Nepomuceno Parish Church in San Remigio; the Archdiocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer in Bogo City; and San Isidro Labrador Parish in Tabogon.
Seventh District Board Member Paz Rozgoni, chair of the Committee on Arts and Culture, endorsed the resolution, which the Board subsequently approved during its regular session on December 1.
“The faster these churches and structures are restored, repaired, or reconstructed, the faster Cebu’s tourism industry can recover. This, in turn, will help residents rebuild their lives after the devastation caused by the earthquake and the succeeding typhoons,” Rozgoni said.
Meanwhile, the board has also encouraged local government units (LGUs) to formulate or update their disaster impact-based planning strategies to strengthen community safety, resilience, and preparedness.
Sixth District Board Member Dason Larenz Lagon sponsored the resolution urging LGUs to adopt impact-based planning frameworks tailored to their local contexts. The measure calls for integrating scientific data, hazard maps, and community risk assessments into local plans, as well as improving early-warning systems and evacuation protocols based on projected impacts rather than hazard occurrence alone.
“Traditional hazard-based planning often focuses only on the occurrence of disasters, while impact-based planning emphasizes the potential consequences on people, infrastructure, and essential services,” the resolution stated.
In a related initiative, the PB has encouraged LGUs to set up express lanes for the efficient delivery of food and emergency supplies, as well as for garbage collection, public utility services, clearing operations, and other recovery activities during disasters or public emergencies.
This recommendation follows reports that traffic congestion and the lack of designated lanes have hindered the timely provision of emergency assistance in recent disaster responses.
The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit northern Cebu not only damaged churches but also destroyed houses, government buildings, and other key infrastructure across the province, particularly in the northern towns.
| Written by Le Phyllis Antojado
