Preparing for the worst
ANGARA CALLS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE PREPARATION AND RESPONSE

Alarmed with recent news that merging storms will hit the country sooner than expected Senator Edgardo J. Angara calls on experts to gather people of different fields to equip the country and help our countrymen have a fighting chance the next time a catastrophe like Ondoy comes again.

"I have asked the Department of Science and Technology to gather its experts, scientists and engineers, to come up with a study that will prepare the country with calamities like this and so that our countrymen will have a better fighting chance the next time another Ondoy comes again," said Angara who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology.

He added, "In the mean time, we've got to reach out to the more than two million victims of Ondoy. The urgent concern is to provide them immediate relief - many are still in evacuation centers, with the weather and poor sanitation posing terrible health problems."

The Senate Committee on Finance, which Angara also chairs, requested several government entities to set aside funds and resources for emergency aid.

The Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig) has committed Php3.0 Billion, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Php5.0 billion, and the Social Security System (SSS) Php3.0 billion. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), on the other hand, will implement a Php100M "Building-while-Learning" program, which will assist victims in rebuilding and repairing their homes while at the same time providing them training on carpentry and electrical installations. This assistance will specifically be provided for victims in Metro Manila and the 28 provinces declared as calamity areas.

"This is just a sample of things to come. Although authorities are conducting rescue operations I call on experts in the field of science and engineering to create a coping mechanism and learn from best practices abroad and see what can we adopt in the Philippines so next time our country faces this kind of tragedy we are better prepared and equipped," said Angara.