MAASIN CITY (PIA) -- The local government unit here has sought the assistance of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to rebuild public infrastructures ripped apart by super typhoon Odette that hit hard this city and province, among other cities and provinces, last December 16, 2021.

“We request DBM through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF),” City Mayor Nacional Mercado said at the Kapihan sa PIA forum Wednesday, March 2, where he was the guest.

Based on a DBM Memo Circular, the agency can provide P5 million for barangays, P10 million for municipalities, P20 million for cities, and P30 million for provinces as supporting fund to reconstruct destroyed LGU facilities, Mercado reported.

Maasin suffered an “overwhelming damage that are still visible, the city gym, city hall, bayview park, plaza, isolation centers, city health units, and barangays,” Mercado said, adding that an assessment right after the typhoon for city-owned structures cost almost P150 million.

Out of the 70 barangays of the city, 40 multi-purpose buildings or covered courts that should have doubled as evacuation centers were heavily damaged, and the other 30 had partial damage, Mercado added.

“Priority gyms are those in (city proper) barangays Combado, Mantahan, and Mambajao, because these can be used for swabbing, for vaccination, among others, and these were submitted to the DPWH to tap their quick response fund,” Mercado said.

He said the DBM’s LGSF for the city LGU in the amount of P20 million will be used for the repair of the city gym, an important venue for gatherings and events like Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) distribution and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) payouts. (LDL/MMP/PIA8-Southern Leyte)