Palace to probe LGU lapses in disaster preparedness

MANILA, Philippines - The administrative liability of local chief executives regarding lapses in disaster preparedness over Super Typhoon Yolanda will have to be determined later after all the relief and rehabilitation efforts are finished, a Palace spokesman said yesterday.

“There are existing laws and there is an existing process that could be used in times of reckoning,” Press Secretary Herminio Coloma said, confirming President Aquino’s statement that an investigation is already underway.

He clarified, however, that the resources of the national government are now focused on extending help to those in dire need of assistance and much-needed rehabilitation, particularly the typhoon victims in Leyte and Samar. “At this time, our focus is really on ramping up the relief operations. We are focusing also on restoring normalcy of commercial and economic activities and this will hasten the transition to rehabilitation,” Coloma stressed.  

The context of Aquino’s remarks about the investigation of some local officials who turned out to be ill-prepared for the disaster – which resulted in thousands of casualties – is for government to be better prepared the next time around.

“We have administrative components in our structure that can lay the groundwork for debriefing, for finding out what really happened, and this is an essential part of our continuing learning process on how we can do better next time,” he explained.

“He stands as the leader of our team, and at the same time the coach, he is also the team captain. And he really needs the help of the local government officials. This is part of our governance structure,” Coloma added. “There will be time, after the rehabilitation process has set in, when the officials responsible for these efforts are no longer under severe challenge. There will be time when inquiry processes can be activated, so that the needed corrective, preventive, and improvement measures can be adopted,” he said.

Aquino warned Monday the local government units (LGUs) that have the most number of casualties in the aftermath of the typhoon would be investigated, since the government had warned them about the storm’s catastrophic effects.

“That is a matter that is subject of investigation. I’d rather have the investigation finished before I accuse anybody,” he said in a chance interview in Alangalang, Leyte when asked about LGUs’ supposed shortcomings and perceived inefficiencies.

Aquino is wondering why other LGUs have reported zero casualties, which is the way it should be following persistent and consistent warnings days before the powerful storm struck and pummeled most of the Visayas region. – With Evelyn Macairan, Non Alquitran, Rainier Allan Ronda