Aquino not leaving Tacloban City until he sees
progress in 'Yolanda' relief work
(TACLOBAN CITY) Until he sees substantial
progress in relief work for residents affected by super typhoon
"Yolanda" (Haiyan), President Benigno Aquino III on Sunday said he is
not keen on returning to Manila.
In an interview with reporters here after inspecting
the National Food Authority facility here, the President said he wants to see
more efficient work from the teams conducting relief work on the ground.
“Hanggang makuntento tayong okay na ang
sitwasyon, na wala nang maidadagdag pa dito (Until I am satisfied that the
situation is okay, and when there is nothing else to improve on),” he said when
asked how long he plans to stay here.
President Aquino said the progress of relief
work has so far fallen below his expectations.
“Yung marami tayong inaasahan after one week,
hindi ko nakikita. So baka dapat... Kaya nandito tayo ngayon, tutok na tutok (I
had expected much more substantial progress after one week but I did not see it
today. So perhaps what is needed is for me to personally keep an eye on things),”
he said.
“Hanggang wala akong makitang maidadagdag ko pa
dito, mananatili muna tayo dito (Until I am convinced there is nothing more to
be done, I will stay here),” he reiterated.
The president said he is “never satisfied” and
that he always looks for the most efficient way to do things.
He said this includes all procedures, from
packing relief goods to transporting them.
In this regard, he said he expects the
bottleneck at Matnog port in Bicol to be reduced in the coming days.
As of Sunday, he said he was told by the port
administrator that the bottleneck had been reduced from six to two kilometers.
He also said authorities are considering
utilizing another port that can “stretch the capacities from Sorsogon.”
Meanwhile, the President said he would meet with
Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez to discuss what more should be done.
The President earlier went to Guiuan, eastern
Samar, before proceeding to Tacloban City. PND (jl)
President Aquino visits 'Yolanda'-ravaged areas
in Leyte
(PALO, Leyte) President Benigno S. Aquino III on
Monday visited at least two areas in this province that were battered by super
typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan) earlier this month.
The President visited the heavily damaged
municipal hall here shortly after 9 a.m., and was welcomed warmly by the
residents.
He received a briefing on the damage from the
typhoon from local officials.
After the briefing, President Aquino led the
distribution of relief bags to the residents, many of whom waited in a queue
since early morning.
He then visited the local market where he
witnessed residents trying to resume their daily lives after Yolanda lashed
Visayas.
The President then proceeded to Alangalang town
where he took part in the turnover of rice, water and tarpaulins to the local
government.
He then asked residents gathered outside the
town hall for understanding that they may not immediately have electricity back
until authorities make sure the power facilities are safe and there is little
risk of electrocution.
The President visited Yolanda-affected areas
Sunday and said he is not keen on returning to Manila until he is satisfied
with the ongoing relief and recovery efforts. PND (jl)
Presence of President Aquino in typhoon
devastated areas in Samar, Leyte, will boost the morale of the typhoon victims
The presence of President Benigno S. Aquino III
in typhoon-devastated Leyte and Samar will boost the morale of the typhoon
victims, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
“Sonny” Coloma Jr. said.
In an interview aired over ABS-CBN's
"Umagang Kay Ganda," Coloma said on Monday that the Chief Executive
wants to assure everyone of those affected by super typhoon "Yolanda"
(internationally known as Haiyan) of his concern for them.
"Malaking bagay po kasi iyong prisensya
mismo ng ating Pangulo para maitaas ang morale ng ating mga kababayan–nakita po
natin ito sa Bohol, sa Zamboanga. Kasi po, talagang binibigyan ng halaga ng
ating mga mamamayan iyong kanilang lider, at tinitingnan nila ang pagkilos ng
pamahalaan na naayon sa direktiba ng Pangulo," Coloma said.
The President returned on Sunday to Tacloban
City to personally oversee the ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts to
restore normalcy in areas hit by the super typhoon. He first visited Guiuan,
Eastern Samar before proceeding to Tacloban City.
President Aquino emphasized the need for a close
coordination between the national government and the local government units to
bring immediate assistance for the typhoon victims.
"Ang una talagang inasikaso natin ay
matiyak na makontak lahat ng mayor at maitaas ang komunikasyon dahil ito ang
pinakamahalagang elemento sa pagsasagawa ng relief. Kung walang kontak at kung
walang titimon doon mismo sa lugar na paggaganapan ng relief ay mahihirapan
tayo," the Communications Secretary said.
"Inabot ng hanggang limang araw para maging
100% fully accounted for lahat ng mga alkalde sa Leyte at doon sa Samar. Ang
ating Pangulo naman ay naka-focus lang sa trabahong dapat gawin para mas
bumilis at mapahusay ang pagkilos," he said. PND (js)
President Aquino wants immediate recovery of
Leyte’s agriculture sector
(ALANGALANG, Leyte) President Benigno S. Aquino
III said he wants Leyte’s agriculture sector to immediately recover following
the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda. The Department of Agriculture’s initial
estimate on the worth of damage to Region 8’s agriculture sector could be more
than P3 billion.
In his message during his visit here in
Alangalang on Monday, the President said he will instruct Agriculture Secretary
Proceso Alcala to coordinate with Leyte municipalities to rehabilitate their
agriculture sector.
“Pababalikin natin si Secretary Alcala para
makipag-ugnayan sa lahat ng mayor ng Leyte at para maagapan ang problema sa
binhi,” the President said.
The President also said the government starts to
repair power lines admitting however that it won’t be an easy task given the
destruction left by the typhoon in the province.
“Yung kuryente ho ninyo nag-uumpisa nang ikabit
ang mga bagong linya pero hindi ito mabilisan... nakita naman ninyo kung gaano
karami yung kawad na nakakalat sa mga kalye, delikado kung bubuksan na natin
yung kuryente,” the President said adding that he wants to make sure that
restoring electricity will not harm anyone.
Major roads were also open and relief goods and
equipment could now enter Leyte with ease, he said. He appealed for the
people’s cooperation and volunteerism to normalize everything in the province
“Tuloy-tuloy po ito hanggang makabangon tayong
lahat dito. Pakiusap lang ho natin damayan, pakikisama sa isa’t isa, at konting
pasensiya para mapabilis yung buong proseso ng pagbabangon, lalo na dito sa
Alangalang,” the President said.
The President visited Palo and Alangalang in
this province affected by typhoon Yolanda. After visiting the heavily damaged
municipal hall in Palo, he had a briefing on the damage from the local
officials.
After the briefing, the President led the
distribution of relief bags to the residents. He then visited Palo’s local
market to interact with the residents.
The President then proceeded to Alangalang town
where he led the turnover of rice, water and tarpaulins to the local
government. PND (as)
Aquino government studying possibility of
tapping Malampaya funds to restore power supply in areas devastated by
'Yolanda' and October 15 earthquake
The Aquino government is studying the proposal
to tap the Malampaya funds to restore the power supply in areas devastated by
super typhoon "Yolanda" and the October 15 earthquake, Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on Monday.
In an interview aired over Radio Mindanao
Network (RMN), Coloma said the Chief Executive directed his legal staff to look
into the proposal of Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla to tap Malampaya
royalties to buy power generators and other requirements to normalize the
energy supply in Eastern Visayas that was devastated by super typhoon Yolanda.
According to Petilla, the government needs to
help as well in restoring the energy supply in several areas in Central Visayas
that were affected by the October 15 magnitude 7.2- earthquake.
The President wants to ensure that the
government is following the law in utilizing the Malampaya funds, Coloma said.
"Ano ba iyong awtorisadong paggamit ng
Malampaya Fund? Sa aking pag-unawa, awtorisadong paggamit kapag energy-related
ang paggagamitan... Ang pinaka-energy related po ang pagbagsak ng electric
power infrastructure sa Leyte at Samar, at sa iba pang mga lugar," Coloma
said.
"Sinu-survey pa po, inaalam ang full extent
ng damage nito, pero marami po talagang mga transmission towers na bumagsak; at
kailangan nito ng massive capital expenditure, na hindi po siguro kakayanin ng
mga local—well, hindi po kakayanin noong National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines, iyong NGCP na siyang concessionaire sa pagpapatakbo nitong mga
transmission facilities na ito," the Communications Secretary said.
Coloma said the electric cooperatives affected
by Yolanda may seek help from the Energy Regulatory Commission and National
Electrification Administration to continue their operations.
He said the ERC can authorize added capital
expenditures for electric cooperatives. PND (js)
Aquino assures the international aid for PHL are
being used properly, efficiently with the launching of ‘FAiTH’
President Benigno S. Aquino III assured on
Monday that the international aid for the Philippines in the wake of super
typhoon "Yolanda" are being used properly and efficiently with the
launching of the Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAiTH).
"Throughout my presidency, we have always
made it a point to abide by the pillars of good governance: transparency,
accountability, and integrity. It is in light of this that we are launching
“FAiTH,” which stands for Foreign Aid Transparency Hub. This can be accessed through:
http://www.gov.ph/faith," the Chief Executive said in his message read by
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda during the regular press briefing in
Malacanang on Monday.
The government launched on Monday the FAiTH
website that is considered a groundbreaking web-based initiative that will
allow the public to monitor the status of foreign assistance to the country in
response to disasters and calamities.
"FAiTH is an online portal of information
on calamity aid and assistance, whether in cash or in kind, received by the
Philippines from nations and multilateral organizations, as well as those
coursed through our embassies abroad," the President said.
"Not only will FAiTH contain detailed
information on the help that has been given to us from our friends and partners
abroad; it will also track how these donations are used, if assistance is to be
coursed through government agencies," the President said.
"And I take this opportunity to invite—and
to encourage—international and local nongovernment organizations and groups to
use the FAiTH website, and stand with us in this effort to maximize the
transparency and efficiency of our collective efforts," he added.
The launch of FAiTH consists of tracking foreign
aid initially for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, and subsequently, for the
victims of other calamities. The details of foreign aid can be viewed
individually, per donor country or organization; and they can also be viewed as
part of the full report.
"This is only one aspect of our
government’s response to Typhoon Yolanda. While helping our people recover from
the tragedy and rebuilding destroyed communities and infrastructure are our
foremost priorities, we also know that it is important to reinforce the
relationship we have with our people and with the international
community," the President stressed.
"We will do this by ensuring that the aid
and assistance pledged for Filipinos will be used only to benefit Filipinos.
Ultimately, FAiTH is more than a hub of information: it is an expression of
appreciation for the kindness of those who stand in solidarity with our
countrymen, and it is a continuation of our promise to the Filipino people: we
are here only to serve you," he said.
Tracking the status of foreign aid will be
undertaken by the FAiTH Team, composed of representatives from the Department
of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of
Finance, the Commission on Audit, the Department of Social Welfare and
Development, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the
Presidential Management Staff, and the Office of the Presidential
Spokesperson-Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning
Office. PND (js)
President Aquino says government working on
all-weather emergency communication system
(ALANGALANG, Leyte) President Benigno S. Aquino
III on Monday said the government is working on a basic communication system
that will not be dependent on external power sources or on cellular networks.
In an interview with media here, the President
said he had asked the Department of Science and Technology to draw up a plan
for the system.
"I've been asking the DOST to come up with
a communication system ... something that is not as dependent on external power
sources, something that does not rely on cellular networks. Something we can
rely on 24/7 regardless of what the weather conditions are," he said.
The lack of power and communications caused by
super typhoon Yolanda had hampered the delivery of relief goods and services to
some affected areas.
The President said the government is trying to
improve its capabilities in dealing with disasters.
"Perhaps we are trying to improve all the
processes. We want to be able to respond faster, more efficiently and more
completely," the President said.
On the other hand, the Chief Executive said he
cannot afford to despair at this time because it may rub off on the people.
Instead, he said he would rather have the people
practice bayanihan, the Filipino trait where communities help each other.
The President also said his Cabinet had been
taking extra roles, including Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya becoming
transport logistics czar, and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz being the point
person for all the donations, whether in kind, in cash, and in physical
services.
"So many members of the Cabinet are
actually undertaking more than their portfolio and nobody's complaining,"
he said. PND (jl)
Foreign aid received by govt for 'Yolanda' will
be audited by COA, Abad says
The foreign aid received by the Aquino
government in the wake of super typhoon "Yolanda" will be audited by
the Commission on Audit (COA), Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said on Monday.
Abad made the assurance during the regular press
briefing in Malacanang, coinciding with the launching of the Foreign Aid
Transparency Hub (FAiTH) website in Malacanang Palace.
The FAiTH website is considered a groundbreaking
web-based initiative that will allow the public to monitor the status of
foreign assistance to the country in response to disasters and calamities.
Abad said FAiTH will track the status of foreign
aid coursed through government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare
and Development, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
and the Office of Civil Defense.
The portal, which can be accessed via
www.gov.ph/faith, will show comprehensive information on humanitarian aid
donated to the Philippine government.
If the donations are coursed through government
agencies, the portal will likewise show users how the funds were spent.
Any individual who will be found liable for the
misuse of international aid to the Philippine government will be charged and
prosecuted for the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Abad said.
"I think there is the Anti-Graft and
Corrupt Practices Act, and I think COA is going to audit this, and on the basis
of COA findings, they can identify the particular violations, if there are
any... With respect to funds that go through the government, then we can be
accountable. If these are international aid coming into our coffers, meaning it
goes to the Treasury, then they become Philippine funds and, therefore, they
are covered by all our accountability and auditing rules," Abad said.
"But if these are international, say,
United Nations funds coursed through UN organizations, or for example, the US
bilateral funds coursed through the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), that ultimately disburses it or, let’s say, the Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees disburses it, I don’t think
that the government can be held accountable for those," Abad said.
"If we are so informed through official
communiqués to DFA, foreign aid coursed through non-government organizations
such as the Philippine Red Cross or other government organizations such as
AusAid, the information will only be recorded in the portal, and will not be
tracked," he said. PND (js)
Eastern Visayas will have power by December,
says Energy Secretary Petilla
(PALO, Leyte) Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla
said he targets to restore the supply of electricity in the Visayas region,
which was devastated by Typhoon Yolanda by December 24.
In an interview here in Palo Monday, Petilla
said he is hopeful of energizing the region by December 24 considering the
availability of manpower and equipment to complete the work.
He said volunteers from Mindanao electric
cooperatives are coming to help the Visayas region bring back electricity.
There are also available materials particularly the equipment being used for
the sitio electrification program of the government which could be used to fix
damaged lines and poles.
The Manila Electric Co. is also coming to help,
according to Petilla, which he said would be a great help for the initiative
since Meralco has the equipment and expertise.
Once Meralco arrives, Petilla said he expects to
have at least 200 people working on power restoration.
Almost 160 towers were damaged by the typhoon,
he said. The most number of damaged towers is in Panay Island with 134 toppled
towers.
Works are now ongoing to erect new towers, he
said.
In terms of distribution, the energy department
targets to energize Palo first, he said. Palo will have street lights Monday
night, according to Petilla.
The goal he said is to connect areas in Palo once
power lines in every barangay is fixed. Restoring power during Christmas will
give people hope and boost their morale, he said.
“Itong pagpapa-ilaw ng mga street lights para
lang merong signs of hope dito sa atin. Kasi kung walang ilaw, talagang walang
pag-asa,” he said.
The major concern is that most of the houses in
typhoon-affected areas are damaged and this may delay the electrification
process.
Electricians from volunteer cooperatives will
first fix the distribution lines and once their job is finished, they will help
in repairing or installing wirings in the households.
Petilla, together with other Cabinet
secretaries, joined President Aquino in visiting different parts of Leyte,
Monday.
The President first went to Palo Monday morning
and then proceeded to Alangalang, also here in Leyte. In the afternoon, the
President visited different parts of Tacloban City to distribute relief goods
and meet typhoon survivors. PND (as)
