Release funds for rehab of quake-hit areas – Lacson
Credit to Author: Bernadette Tamayo| Date: Sun, 03 Nov 2019 16:20:22 +0000
SEN. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday urged the government to be consistent in releasing calamity funds for the rehabilitation of quake-hit areas.
The senator made the appeal amid the scheduled rehabilitation of some parts of Mindanao damaged by strong earthquakes.
“Ang isang kamalian ‘pag nagkaroon ng disaster, pursigido lamang ang gobyerno sa unang linggo, unang buwan, tapos nakakalimutan na (One of the mistakes [that I observed was] when there is a disaster, the government is only keen to help during the first week, the first month; then later on, forgets about it),” Lacson said.
The senator recalled his experience as Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery during the Benigno Aquino 3rd’s administration when he oversaw the rehabilitation of the areas devastated by Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: “Haiyan”) in November 2013.
Lacson resigned as rehabilitation czar in December 2014, citing frustration because of his limited power and funding as his reasons.
During his stint, Lacson said, he recommended to Aquino the allotment P167 billion for the Yolanda rehabilitation efforts. He said Aquino approved his fund proposal, however, the Department of Budget and Management approved only a tiny budget for the program.
“Minsan P1 billion to P2 billion or P10 billion. Paano ma-rehab ang Tacloban o kaya sa 171 cities and municipalities kung ‘di mapondohan ang inaprubahang P167 billion (Sometimes only P1 billion to P2 billion or P10 billion [was allotted]. How will Tacloban or the 171 cities and municipalities [affected by Yolanda] be rehabilitated if there was no fund for the approved P167 billion [recovery budget])?” he said in a radio interview.
“Nangyari uli yan sa Marawi (It also happened in Marawi),” Lacson said referring to the destruction of the Islamic City in May 2017 by Muslim extremists.
“Sa umpisa pa lang, napakaraming gusto tumulong. Lahat naka-focus doon. Pagkatapos ng [isa hanggang dalawang] buwan nakalimutan (It happened again in Marawi. So many wanted to help at the start. All [government agencies] were focused there. After one to two months, it was again forgotten),” he said.
“And I hope itong sa Mindanao, Davao, Cotabato huwag naman sana uli ganoon kasi ito ang sakit ng gobyerno. Pursigido lang habang pinag-uusapan at pagkatapos kinakalimutan na (And I hope this will not happen in Mindanao, Davao, Cotabato because this is the problem with the government. It is enthusiastic only [about recovery efforts] at the outset , but will forget about it later on),” Lacson added.