Repair continues for public infrastructure

Repair work on all public infrastructure damaged by four super typhoons that hit the country last year will carry on despite the mandatory public works ban during the election period, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said yesterday.

Andaya issued the statement to allay fears expressed by officials of towns ravaged by storms "Milenyo," "Paeng," "Reming" and "Seniang" that the May 14 polls will halt the restoration of public structures damaged by the four storms.

"Work on these projects will continue for as long as activities will be limited to the restoration of the damaged facilities," Andaya said. "Another requirement under the Omnibus Election Code is to report these projects to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) beforehand."

He said Section 261 of the Omnibus Elections Code treats "emergency works" necessitated by public calamity as exempted from public works ban so long as the work undertaken is limited to restoration.

The public works ban will start 45 days before the elections, on March 30.

The budget chief said it would be "another disaster" if the repair of damaged classrooms will not be allowed because it is during summer break that such construction work is best undertaken.

"In fact, we should take advantage of the good weather window, the first five months of the year, to rush repair work before the rains come," he said.

Andaya said activities to be funded under the P10-billion Calamity Assistance and Relief Efforts (CARE) fund which Congress has included, upon Malacañang’s request, in the soon-to-be-signed P1.026-trillion 2007 national budget, will be limited to restoration work.

Although calamity work is deemed urgent, the government would be extra careful in the release of funds because "we do not want to be accused of politicking," he said. "Another safeguard is to stick to the guidelines set by national budget and seek Comelec conformity."

Soon after Seniang hit Bicol and parts of the Southern Tagalog region on Nov. 30 last year, following the path traversed by Milenyo and Reming, Malacañang dispatched an urgent request to Congress for a P10-billion typhoon relief fund to be inserted in the 2007 spending measure, cobbling proposed allocations which the executive volunteered to forego or reduce.

The Palace request immediately drew bipartisan support, resulting in the inclusion of CARE during the bicameral conference negotiations.

Reming alone left P50-billion worth of damages to crops, public works and private houses.