MikeLigalig.com

By Carlo Agamon, Jeoffrey Maitem
Inquirer Mindanao

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato, Philippinesâ€"The North Cotabato provincial board on Tuesday placed the entire province under a state of calamity following the devastation wrought by floods on crops and properties.

The declaration would enable Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza to use the five percent calamity fund to help more than 11,000 families affected by the floods in nine of the province’s municipalities.

But the session that led to the declaration also uncovered the massive cash withdrawals made by the previous administration from the provincial coffers.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial council) was told that only P5.1 million remained of the P64 million earmarked for calamity this year.

Board member Socrates Piñol said they wanted to know why the funds were nearly depleted.