The administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas has offered doable measures to improve the country’s disaster preparedness, as they recalled the lessons from the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).
“One very important lesson that I learned noon ako iyong pinag-handle ni dating [Pangulong Noynoy Aquino] na maging presidential assistance for rehabilitation and recovery … [was] to involve the private sector, the multilateral like JAICA, USAID, UNDP, KOICA … ang ganda ng naging resulta,” recalled former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who was designated as presidential assistant for the Yolanda rehabilitation and recovery during the administration of President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III.
“So isang lesson na mapa-national government man o mapa-local government, indispensable talaga ang participation ng private sector. Kung hindi siguro sa participation ng private sector, baka lalong natagalan iyong mga proyekto na nakabinbin,” he added.
Lacson noted that Yolanda lashed 171 cities and municipalities nationwide, but with the help of the private sector, including the “captains of the [business] industry” who are more than willing to help and spend, the rehabilitation and recovery efforts went well.
“Trip down memory lane ako. Parang napaka-nostalgic iyong aking pagbalik dito at nakita ko iyong mga familiar faces,” he said.
Many local government officials approached and thanked him, Lacson said, adding that it only showed that the result of their work was good despite limited resources.
“Kailangan ang pribadong sektor kasi kung government lang, sa bureaucracy lang, bureaucratic red tape lang … baka lalong marami pang namatay,” he said.
Lacson also said the electronic monitoring platform for accountability and transparency hub, which is geotag-based, should have been sustained for effective monitoring of projects for the rehabilitation and recovery of Yolanda-hit areas.
For his part, former Interior Secretary and Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos called for the establishment of permanent evacuation centers or zones, especially in areas usually hit by typhoons. He likewise asked for investment in technology such as early warning systems for strong cyclones and tsunami.
He nevertheless praised the existing Operation Listo program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which includes protocols of local government units on the ground during approaching typhoons.
ACT-CIS Representative and former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo remembered that he was still a reporter when Yolanda hit the country in November 2013.
He said that the national and local government really prepared at the time, but when the super typhoon hit, even the first responders became victims.
Yolanda has been dubbed as one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded.
“I think the government learned its lesson,” Tulfo said. “Dapat ‘yung first responder hindi lang limited sa town na [maaapektuhan] kung hindi mas lawakan pa ang radius.”
“We should come from Cebu, we should come from Dumaguete para pwede silang magtulungan kung saka-sakaling na-cripple na ‘yung mga emergency personnel sa lugar na ‘yon.”
“And that’s also why nauso din ‘yung pre-positioning of relief goods,” he added.
Tulfo said that if he wins in the May midterm polls, he would insist that the Department of Social Welfare and Development pre-position relief goods in every town and city. He also said mayors should be given the authority to immediately distribute the relief goods rather than rely on the regional offices of the department.
Aside from Lacson, Abalos, and Tulfo, other Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidates are Makati Mayor Abby Binay, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Senator Pia Cayetano, Senator Lito Lapid, former Senator Manny Pacquiao, , Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino, former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar.
(GAY GASPAY, PR)
