For Northern Cebu’s Yolanda-hit areas: Ping to ask PNoy to do rehab ASAP

CEBU, Philippines - Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and  Recovery  Secretary Panfilo “Ping” Lacson yesterday promised to recommend to President Benigno Aquino III that the government implement the rehabilitation plans for northern Cebu and Leyte as soon as possible.

He said that since local government leaders have submitted their respective rehabilitation plans, there is no reason to further delay rehabilitation efforts, especially in northern Cebu.

Lacson was the guest in yesterday’s agreement signing and groundbreaking for the construction and repair of classrooms by the Aboitizes in San Remigio town. The day before, he also visited Tacloban City.

He said that once all the concerned local government units in calamity-stricken areas have submitted their provincial rehabilitation plans, the national government would then create a master rehabilitation plan, which would submitted to the president for approval.

The master plan would be based on the post disaster needs assessment (PDNA) that is scheduled to be submitted on April 21.Lacson, though, said that the creation and implementation of a master rehabilitation plan may take longer due to international protocols to be adhered to and provisions of Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) that must be complied with.

“What I intend to do is not to wait for the PDNA but recommend to the president to proceed with the rehabilitation plans in northern Cebu and Leyte, para naman merong incentive yung mga (as incentive for) local government officials who have been proactive enough in submitting the needs and damage assessment for their rehabilitation plans,” he said.

He added that the provinces of Cebu and Leyte have already submitted their provincial rehabilitation plans complete with the program of works and estimates.

He also said that PARR has already acquired an advanced copy of the raw data submitted by the two provincial government units.

He acknowledged that the typhoon survivors are already getting impatient as to when the national government would start its national rehabilitation program amid the pockets of recovery in calamity-stricken areas.

It was last February when the Malacañang vowed to build permanent structures in worst-hit areas in the Visayas region.

Lacson said that having identified the gaps in the national government, he initially appealed for the private sector to reach out to the typhoon survivors.

When Aquino and some of his cabinet members visited northern Cebu last January, Lacson said he recommended for the president to allot funds to LGUs that are capable of rebuilding and reconstructing their municipal halls, public markets, and civic centers through the resources from the national government.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, who also attended the Aboitiz activity, lauded Lacson in promising to him that rehabilitation of Cebu would begin as soon as possible.

Lacson hopes that implementation of the national government’s rehabilitation and reconstruction programs would already be in full-swing by June.

“If you are still thinking that northern Cebu is out of our hearts and minds in the national government, please don’t,” he said in jest while addressing the local government officials in attendance.

He also said they have already reclassified certain areas as either unsafe/high-risk zones or safe zones instead of strictly implementing the no-build zones, especially along coastlines, since it could affect the tourism industry of the country in general, and northern Cebu in particular.

He said that this would prompt resort establishments to prepare evacuation centers when disaster strikes.

Davide agreed with Lacson, saying that although the Capitol owns a few lots, it is still looking for possible relocation sites, especially for those living in coastal areas. —/RHM (FREEMAN)