Press Release
October 14, 2009

ANGARA SUMMONED GOV'T AGENCIES:
"DON'T MAKE THE PEOPLE WAIT"

Still pushing through the legislative maze to get calamity funds approved by Congress, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara met yesterday the officials of Defense, Agriculture, Budget, Finance and Social Welfare departments to clarify issues of fund allocation for the typhoon victims. Angara also gathered the agencies' reports and updates on the damages and action needed to remedy the suffering of hundreds of thousands of victims.

"We must make our priorities very clear and specific in the allocation of calamity funds. We should also distinguish funds donated by local and international NGOs and foreign governments from that raised by the national government. We cannot allow misallocation and double-distribution," clarified Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance.

The DA reported in the meeting that P6.7 Billion worth of crops were lost to Ondoy, while P11.6 B to Pepeng. Most of the damage was that on rice farms, at an aggregate of P14.4 B worth. In addition, the DA submitted that 109,000 ha of farmland have no chance of recovery, while another 155,000 ha will have reduced yields by 70% if recovered. Ondoy also wrought 1,216 ha of fruit and vegetable farms, and Pepeng another 1,500 ha.

So far the recorded loss in fisheries production loss is estimated at P210 Million from Ondoy, mainly in Bulacan and Pampanga. Another P951 M worth of damage has been noted on irrigation facilities across the region, mainly from Ondoy.

"Let's delineate our funds carefully--whether for emergency relief assistance, food, medicines, construction and rehabilitation materials, agricultural and fisheries input, livelihood. Don't keep the people waiting for relief, let alone confuse them with inconsistent information on relief assistance release. Filipinos are very patient, but are also very discerning. If we wait too long and many are dying from hunger and diseases in cramped evacuation centers, we will elicit the same reaction that the Bush administration got from the Katrina aftermath," warned Angara.

Angara referred to the anger expressed by the American people for former President George Bush's poor response to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Similarly, Angara pointed out how the Taiwanese Parliament had to reshuffle the Cabinet and replace their Prime Minister for his poor performance in handling relief operations to the massive earthquake that ravaged [Taiwan] in July.

"The longer we wait, the worse the situation can get. Some areas like Laguna will have to endure floodwaters until December or longer; other areas are in a similar fate. Let's not kill the hopes of our people to survive and surpass these struggles," Angara conceded.

Angara encouraged the DA's initiatives to provide seeds for hybrid rice and corn, high-value vegetables, livestock and repair of farm's irrigation facilities. He also called on the DPWH to expedite efforts in its emergency restoration of roads, bridges, flood control facilities and mitigation initiatives. Likewise, Angara called on the DSWD to speed up its assessment report and also continue support for food and non-food relief assistance to victims; and aggressively implement its early-recovery program to assist damage repair and rehabilitation of shelter units and build livelihood mechanisms.

For the part of the DND and the NDCC, Angara urged both agencies to allocate funds well for infrastructure, school buildings in coordination with the DepEd as many of them are still used as evacuation centers, and develop cluster groups to respond to various areas of concern. Angara clarified with the DND that a part of the existing and currently generated funds for Ondoy and Pepeng will also cover incremental damages of last year's Typhoon Frank.

Angara assured the panel of his support of the motion for the resolution to approve the calamity fund allocations which he submitted to the Plenary yesterday. Save for a few issues that some members of the Senate raised, Angara is hopeful that the fund will be finally approved by today for immediate release and distribution to victims.

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