President Aquino wants 'weather-proof'
communities to avoid repeat of super typhoon 'Yolanda' tragedy
President Benigno S. Aquino III wants
communities redesigned such that they will not be as vulnerable to storm surges
and other effects of powerful cyclones like super typhoon "Yolanda"
(Haiyan).
The President, who was interviewed at the Ormoc
City Airport Tuesday, said it pained him to learn of so many deaths because of
the effects of Yolanda.
"Siyempre gusto natin malaman bakit umabot
ng ganoon, mayroon pa ba tayong magagawa? Pwede ba nating ire-design ang
communities para mas maging resistant to such things ... 'yung maski sa
mamatayan, talagang mabigat sa kalooban ko ‘yun (We want to see if there is
something we can do to prevent such a tragedy in the future. Can we redesign
our communities to be more resistant to such occurrences? The deaths of so many
people have weighed heavily on me)," he said.
Yolanda, one of the most powerful cyclones in
recent history, barreled through parts of Visayas and Southern Luzon earlier
this month. It left more than 3,000 dead in its wake.
Since Sunday, the President had been visiting
areas in the Visayas that were affected by Yolanda. He returned to Manila
Tuesday afternoon.
President Aquino said the concerned government
agencies are already working on medical attention, power restoration, and
helping people get their lives back to normal.
Meanwhile, the President said he is returning to
Manila to make sure there are enough funds to provide for the needs of those
affected.
He said he wanted to meet the Cabinet, including
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, to follow up on the government's plans to
rehabilitate the coconut industry.
Also, he said he wants to talk to Budget
Secretary Florencio Abad to make sure there is enough funding for related
government programs.
Meanwhile, the President said he expects power
and communications to be restored soonest, now that roads have been cleared in
the affected areas.
He lauded residents for helping each other
recover from Yolanda's effects.
"Talagang bibilis at bibilis na rin sa
susunod na araw, dahil lahat itong transportation glitches, ay unti-unti...
tuloy-tuloy na hahanapan ng paraan para lalong mapabilis ang pag-ikot ng mga
nagde-deliver. Talagang challenge, pero talagang naagapan ng napakaraming
sector (We expect the recovery efforts to move faster in the coming days
because the transportation glitches are being addressed. We are finding more
ways to deliver relief items and services, and we are meeting the challenges
with the help of so many sectors)," he said. PND (jl)
DSWD plans to open Catbalogan relief hub to
reach more typhoon 'Yolanda' survivors
(TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) plans to open a relief hub in Catbalogan to
search more people affected by super typhoon "Yolanda" that hit the
Visayas region last week.
“Ating palalakasin ang Guiuan-Ormoc hub, ngayon,
ayon sa meeting ini-explore namin ang pagtatayo ng Catbalogan hub at nang sa
ganon ay mas mabilis at mas marami ang maihatid,” Social welfare Secretary
Dinky Soliman said in a press briefing here at the Leyte Sports complex on
Wednesday.
Soliman also said that there is an agreement
with Mayor Alfred Romualdez of Tacloban City that the city is ready to take
over in the delivery of food items in different barangays.
Starting Tuesday there is a transition in the
distribution from the DSWD to the city government, she said. Soliman said it’s
an augmentation of the local to the initiatives of the national government.
Presently in Eastern Samar, there are a lot of
chopper drops being made especially by the US military, but she said the
government wants to transition to land vehicles to widen the scope of delivery
and bring in more relief goods.
The military provided eight trucks for the
initiative, she said.
And in case there are barangays not yet served
by the ongoing relief efforts, Soliman said they can contact the DSWD through
its grievance and redress section to get their sentiments.
People or barangays needing help could contact
the DSWD through mobile phone number: 0920-9463766
Soliman advised the people communicating with
the DSWD to provide all the information needed, such as the name of survivors,
exact address and other details so personnel will not have difficulty finding
them.
President Aquino had a three-day stay here to
coordinate relief and recovery works. He left for Manila Tuesday afternoon. PND
(as)
More police personnel brought in to secure
Yolanda-affected areas, PNP official says
(TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) More police personnel
have been brought in to Eastern Visayas to secure areas affected by super
typhoon "Yolanda," an official of the Philippine National Police said
Wednesday.
Police Director Alex Paul Monteagudo, head of
the task force on law and order, said 100 additional police personnel were
brought in from Region 10.
At the daily meeting of Task Force Yolanda,
Monteagudo said this brought to 1,283 the total police personnel tasked to
maintain law and order.
He also said that for Eastern Visayas, 99
percent of police had been accounted for, and that 96 percent are
"effective," meaning they "are on call, do the patrols and can
perform police duties."
"It's unfortunate that three personnel are
dead, two are missing. And I have 12 injured, hit by flying debris," he
said.
In Tacloban City, he said there are 291 police
personnel, 275 of whom were deemed effective.
The police are expected as well to coordinate
with banks for reopening their branches in Tacloban City.
Meanwhile, at least 116 bodies were collected on
Tuesday, bringing the total to 1,594.
The University of the Philippines' forensic
pathologists have also coordinated with the local authorities.
Meanwhile, Task Force Yolanda resource
mobilization head Brig. Gen. Jet Velarmino said there are 2,878 soldiers
working with international forces. PND (jl)
Government fast-tracking distribution of hygiene
kits, non-food items amid recent rain over 'Yolanda'-affected areas, DSWD says
(TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) With recent rains falling
over areas affected by super typhoon "Yolanda," the Department of
Social Welfare and Development has started fast-tracking the distribution of
non-food relief items.
DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman said these items
include hygiene kits and tarpaulins that can be used as temporary roofing
materials.
"It rained heavily last night, we are
fast-tracking this," she said at the daily briefing of Task Force Yolanda.
She also said the DSWD has started initial stress
debriefing in evacuation centers, adding "we hope to increase that
capacity within the next two days."
According to Soliman, the DSWD continues to
deliver rice and food packs to Yolanda-affected areas including Leyte, Eastern
Samar, and Tacloban City.
From the Tacloban hub, she said the DSWD had
delivered 52,412 packs as of Tuesday, covering 24 towns.
From the Ormoc hub, she said the DSWD had
delivered 19,004 food and rice packs covering nine of 16 towns.
However, Soliman also said the DSWD has started
the transition where goods will be brought to Tacloban's city hall instead of
having barangays get food from the hubs.
She pointed out the people in the local
government level are back and the personnel are all in place and organized.
"They will be the ones to distribute to the
barangays of Tacloban City," she said, adding this is part of their duty
as first responders.
She added evacuation centers in the city are
still to be supported by the DSWD regional and national offices.
Soliman said that from Nov. 9 to 20, they had
served 863,691 food and rice packs, 184,779 high-energy biscuits, and delivered
220,192 one-liter bottles of water. PND (jl)
Foreign Aid Transparency Hub steering committee
plans to create single multi-currency treasury account for donations from
overseas Filipinos
The Foreign Aid Transparency Hub (FAiTH)
steering committee intends to create a single multi-currency Treasury account
to enable overseas Filipinos and other individuals and organizations to easily
deposit their donations for the victims of calamities, a Palace official said.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said
during a regular press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday that the FAiTH
steering committee started finalizing the legal requisites and other
requirements necessary to create a single multi-currency Treasury account.
The government launched on Monday the FAiTH
website that will allow the public to monitor the status of foreign assistance
to the country in response to disasters and calamities.
"After the launch of the FAiTH, appointed
representatives from the agencies making up the FAiTH steering committee
gathered to finalize the role that each agency will play in this pioneer
project, as well as to lay out the succeeding steps for the development of
FAiTH," Lacierda said.
"Following the public’s favorable response
to the launch of FAiTH, the steering committee coordinated with other
government agencies that have also been accepting donations for the victims of
Typhoon Yolanda. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), chaired by
Secretary Imelda M. Nicolas, is one of these; they are currently accepting
donations through their Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) program,"
Lacierda said.
The CFO received a total of PHP 526,384.00 and
US$ 1,040.00 from fellow countrymen and other individuals in the Philippines
and in countries like the USA, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Qatar as of
November 19.
"This recent news from the CFO only
highlights the solidarity and support our country has received in the wake of
Typhoon Yolanda. The full details of donations already received by the CFO,
including the names and countries of residence of the donors, amounts donated,
and date received, will be published in FAiTH," Lacierda said.
"As such, the steering committee has also
decided to expand the scope of the information covered by the portal to include
even donations made by individuals through the CFO," he said.
With the creation of this account, Lacierda said
the OFWs and other interested groups can go to our embassies abroad, make their
contribution to the single multi-currency Treasury account, and receive an
acknowledgement receipt.
"They (donors) will then be able to access
FAiTH, where their donations will be uploaded, and view updates on how their
donations have been used, as part of calamity assistance. In this way, the
government will provide a transparent accounting to any and all who give assistance—from
countries, multilateral organizations, and corporations, as well as
individuals," he said.
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. PND (js)
Normalcy has begun to prevail in Tacloban City,
a Palace official says
Normalcy has begun to prevail in Tacloban City,
Leyte following the devastation by super typhoon "Yolanda," a Palace
official said on Wednesday.
"Normalcy has begun to set in an
encouraging pace. Yesterday, November 19, three ATM units were activated in
Tacloban, as selected grocery stores opened," Presidential Spokesperson
Edwin Lacierda said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday.
The Development Bank of the Philippines resumed
operations on Wednesday, Lacierda said.
Two major commercial establishments in the city,
the Robinson's and Gaisano supermarkets, are also set to open today. It is
reported that a hardware store and an agri-supply store have also opened,"
he said.
He said the Department of Trade and Industry
Regional Office will launch on Thursday Diskwentro Caravan on Burgos Street in
Tacloban, while Smart telecommunications had already opened a kiosk to sell SIM
cards.
The Philippine National Police reported that
1,283 augmentation and 328 organic personnel have been deployed to Eastern
Samar and Leyte, in addition to the army personnel tasked to escort supply
convoys.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has deployed
2,870 service personnel, while there are 5,079 personnel from other agencies,
rescue units, volunteer groups, and foreign teams working on the ground.
"The AFP says that the USS George
Washington docked in an offshore area of Tacloban, as the US Armed Forces
offered two ships to load relief goods. The Bayanihan team brought in an
additional 24 M23 trucks, 15 wing vans, 11 six wheelers, two trailer closed
vans, were deployed for DSWD operations. Six buses were also made available to
transport passengers from Tacloban," he said.
According to Lacierda, the Philippine Coast
Guard reported that its vessel 891 is bound for Cebu to ferry passengers and to
deliver relief items, while vessel 002 is set to depart from Cebu on Wednesday
to ferry 280 persons to other areas.
The Department of Public Works and Highways,
meanwhile, identified the towns of Palo, Maasin, Basey, Marabut, and Guiuan as
possible areas for the construction of bunkhouses. PND (js)
Tacloban City mayor, traders explore ways to
resume economic activity after ‘Yolanda’ devastation
(TACLOBAN CITY) In line with President Benigno
Aquino III's directive to resume economic activity after super typhoon
"Yolanda" the soonest, city officials and local traders met here
Wednesday afternoon to discuss ways to resume businesses under the present
circumstances.
Mayor Alfred Romualdez and top police officials
met with representatives of local businesses and assured them of security, but
also asked them to do their part.
"For the next few weeks naman ito (This is
just for the next few weeks)," he said.
He said the Philippine National Police will be
very strict especially against looting, and will conduct checkpoints to thwart
looters and burglars.
President Benigno Aquino III visited this city
Sunday and checked on other areas affected by Yolanda, to see the progress of
government efforts to assist those affected. President Aquino returned to
Manila Tuesday.
The Tacloban City government expects the
electricity backbone to be energized Dec. 24, while water utility workers have
to check and repair leaks in water pipes.
During the meeting, Romualdez suggested that
traders issue even provisional receipts with their contact details so police
can double-check them.
Also, the mayor suggested that local traders
open and close shop early so their employees can go home with less chances of
being mugged.
"They can operate (early) during the day
and give enough time for their employees to go home," he said. PND (jl)
