Tap ODA facilities for climate change mitigation - SB

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. suggested yesterday that the government should consider tapping official development assistance (ODA) from foreign governments to fund medium to long-term rehabilitation and climate change mitigation programs in vulnerable areas of the country that are frequently hit by natural calamities.

He also said Congress is going to fast-track the passage of a national land use bill that is also crucial in preparing the country from the devastating effects of climate change.

“Tapping ODA facilities to make our country resilient from the effects of typhoons is a good move and should be pursued,” Belmonte told a news conference.

“This is a good precautionary thing to do,” he said.

He noted that even the United States had not expected the magnitude of the cyclones hitting it in recent years. The effects of hurricane Katrina are still being felt up to now and the areas hit by the cyclone have yet to fully recover.

“We have to anticipate the worst situation and prepare for it,” he said.

Ang Kasangga party-list Rep. Teodorico Haresco sought amendments to the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Law that would allow the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council  (NDRRMC) to secure ODA.

He said without ODA funds, the current P93-million budget “is hardly sufficient to mount effective disaster relief efforts on a nationwide scale.”

“What happens to the CCT [Conditional Cash Transfer] funds allocated to the poorest of the poor when the lives of farmers and fisherfolk are wiped out by these disasters. Without access to micro-credit, there is no alternative,” he said.

Haresco, who is a member of the joint oversight committee on disaster risk reduction and management, said the NDRRMC should be allowed to function like the original Coordinating Council on Philippine Assistance Plan (CCPAP), which would implement plans to restore “lives and livelihoods” by restoring and rehabilitating infrastructure and other programs.

“ODA funding is a viable alternative to funding the resources required by the President, without depleting its already the scarce funds. The President’s zero-based fiscal management has helped the credit standing of the Philippines. Access to ODA is better,” he said.

He said a special “Infrastructure Response Unit” to could be created to work with provincial and local government units to quickly repair public works destroyed or damaged by calamities like typhoons and earthquakes.

Haresco said that an average of 24 calamities hit the country regularly. These weaken or destroy approximately 10,000 lineal meters of bridges annually.

“Keeping these bridges operational are vital to disaster rescue and relief efforts,” he said. “Restoring them to operational levels is essential in reaching isolated areas and saving lives.”

Haresco cited in particular the case of the town of Caranglan in Nueva Ecija, which has been isolated for six days after the two typhoons knocked out Baluarte  Bridge, the only linkage between the town and the rest of the province.