Press Release
December 4, 2013

Nancy seeks probe on sluggish gov't response on Yolanda
...calls for review of NDRRMC disaster capability

Senator Nancy Binay filed a resolution calling for an investigation, in aid of legislation, of the government's apparently slow response to the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda last month.

In Senate Resolution No. 405, the lady senator cited personal accounts from victims and various media reports of the typhoon aftermath wherein the government's disaster response was described as "slow" and "disorganized."

"We have all seen the destruction that Super Typhoon Yolanda has caused our country. Billions worth of property and livelihood were destroyed, many lives were lost and our government's response was found inadequate. We don't want that to happen again. We want to improve on how our government can react and recover during such emergencies. We want to be faster, more efficient and we want to straighten things out," Binay said.

Binay noted, under Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) should be the lead agency in implementing management of relief operations during such calamities.

However, the agency's preparation before the typhoon made landfall and the disaster response after it hit, was not enough to provide immediate aid to heavily affected areas.

The lady senator noted that NDRRMC chief Voltaire T. Gazmin acknowledged the government's limitations and admitted that there was a delay in the distribution of relief goods because of the limited number of transport planes to deliver these to survivors.

"We don't want to point fingers and have a witch hunt of who is blame for the delayed action. We want to know what needs to be done to improve our system of disaster response, devise contingencies in such emergencies and we want to know how we can implement government funding to immediately provide resources when the people need it," Binay said.

"Super Typhoon Yolanda has shown the world of our people's resilience and our 'bayanihan' spirit. It also exposed how inexperienced and ill-prepared we are in times of national emergencies and disasters. We need to do better, not for the world to see, but to save lives, and provide government agencies the needed equipment, training and support to always be prepared," Binay concluded.

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