President Aquino orders concerned agencies to
intensify search, rescue, relief operations to make sure aid reaches 'Yolanda'
victims
President Benigno Aquino III has ordered all
concerned government agencies to intensify search-and-rescue operations and
make sure aid reaches people affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
In an interview on People's Television 4,
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
said their top concern is people's lives and safety.
"Sa ngayon, ang prayoridad ay ang buhay at
kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan. Kaya pag-iibayuhin ang search and rescue and
relief operations dahil nga sa pangamba na mayroon pang hindi natutunton na mga
casualties dahil sa mga lugar kung saan ay walang kuryente at walang
komunikasyon. (For now, our priority is the lives and safety of people. That is
why search, rescue and relief operations are intensified. We want to make sure
we don't miss anyone, especially those in isolated areas where power and
communications are cut off)," Coloma said.
He said President Aquino received an update from
Secretaries Voltaire Gazmin (defense) and Manuel Roxas II (interior), who were
sent to Tacloban City in Leyte.
The two secretaries reported heavy damage there,
along with disruptions in power and communications services.
Coloma said President Aquino ordered the two to
intensify the search, rescue and relief operations on the ground, and ensure no
area will be cut off.
He added the President instructed Armed Forces
of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista to ensure sufficient
logistical support.
On the other hand, he said the President
instructed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to release P365 million to the
Philippine Air Force for maintenance and lubricants for planes.
Coloma also said President Aquino ordered
Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo to "retrace
the storm path" and determine areas of greatest impact.
Montejo was also instructed to recommend
concrete solutions to address the problem of disrupted communications during
calamities.
"Kaya ang atas sa DOST is to propose a
secure, all-weather communication system na puwedeng magamit para sa mga
kalamidad na ating kinahaharap na madalas sa buong taon (The President wants
the DOST to propose a secure, all-weather communication system that can be used
during calamities)," he said.
Coloma said President Aquino ordered Secretaries
Rogelio Singson (public works) and Corazon Soliman (social welfare) to make
sure relief goods, especially food, reaches the victims.
Singson was particularly instructed to make sure
roadblocks are removed.
Meanwhile, deputy presidential spokesperson
Abigail Valte also said President Aquino expects power and communications to be
restored in affected areas soonest.
“Ang instruction ng Pangulo, unahin ang biktima.
Ito ang prayoridad ng kanyang naging utos ... Ang una ay abutin ang lahat na
lugar na naapektuhan. Pangalawa, siguraduhin na maibalik kuryente at
komunikasyon (President Aquino’s instructions were to prioritize the victims.
First, he wants aid to reach all those affected. Second, he wants to make sure
power and communications are restored),” Valte said Saturday on government-run
dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
She said two C-130 planes had left for Tacloban
City early Saturday. The planes are loaded with AFP medical teams, 12,000
pounds of relief goods, and power generators, communications equipment and
water purifiers.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also
transported telecommunications equipment to the Visayas.
“Nakikipag-coordinate tayo sa tatlong
telecommunication companies, nag-assure sila they are doing their best to
restore signals in the area (We are also coordinating with the three
telecommunications companies. They assured us they are doing their best to
restore signals in the area),” Valte said.
Meanwhile, Valte said the Philippine government
thanks US Secretary of State John Kerry for his statement of sympathy and
solidarity with Filipinos amid Typhoon Yolanda’s destruction.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa kaibigan natin na
nagpapahayag ng kanilang kakayanang tumulong sa ating mga kababayang nasalanta
(We thank our friend who has expressed readiness to help our fellow Filipinos
who were affected),” she said. PND (jl)
Coloma to head Phl delegation to UNESCO General
Conference meeting
Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. will lead a Philippine delegation to France this
coming week for meetings of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference.
The Philippine delegation will take part in
meetings of the communication and information sector in the 37th session of the
UNESCO General Conference in Paris on Nov. 12 and 13.
The meetings will focus on sustaining peace and
development through freedom of expression and access to knowledge.
Coloma is vice-chair of the governing council on
UNESCO's Information for All Programme. He will speak at the opening of the
conference on pioneering programs conducted by the Philippines as the lead
country in the promotion of media and information literacy.
He will also discuss the Philippine government's
program for creating an enabling environment for press freedom and safety of
journalism practitioners.
The Information for All Programme is an
intergovernmental program created in 2000.
Through it, the world's governments pledged to
harness new opportunities of the information age to use better access to
information to create equitable societies.
It seeks to promote international reflection and
debate on the ethical, legal and societal challenges of the information
society; promote access to information in the public domain through the
organization, digitization and preservation of information; and support
training, continuing education and lifelong learning in the fields of
communication, information and informatics.
Also, it aims to support the production of local
content and foster the availability of indigenous knowledge through basic
literacy and ICT literacy training; promote the use of international standards
and best practices in communication, information and informatics in UNESCO's
fields of competence; and promote information and knowledge networking at
local, national, regional and international levels. PND (jl)
Government has enough resources to rebuild
Leyte, says Palace
Malacanang made an assurance on Saturday that
the government has enough resources to rehabilitate damaged infrastructures in
Leyte and other areas following the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda this week.
Typhoon Yolanda, considered by experts as super
typhoon, has damaged many infrastructures in Leyte including its airport.
In a radio interview Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the government has
enough resources to help rebuild the province.
“Handa naman tayo. Clearing operations ngayon sa
Tacloban; sa Tacloban airport mismo ay ongoing,” Valte said.
“At handa naman din tayong magpaluwal ng pondo
kung ano iyong kakailanganin for rehabilitation.”
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior
and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas have reported to President Aquino
the heavy property damage in Leyte not only its airport but also other
infrastructures.
The government is also ready to respond to
typhoon victims in Iloilo, she said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) will provide the assistance such as food and temporary shelters to
affected families.
“Meron tayong programa ‘yung tinatawag nating
‘Core Shelter Assistance’ para naman doon sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo na talagang
either partially damaged iyong mga bahay or totally damaged,” she said. PND
(as)
