Ping says won't wait for NDRRMC to start 'Yolanda' rehab

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City - The government will not wait for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to finish its needs assessment in typhoon-hit areas and will instead start the rehabilitation effort locally due to the pressing needs of survivors.

Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson said he has been informed that the NDRRRMC’s needs assessment would be completed by the end of March.

“I told the President in one of our Cabinet meetings, we cannot wait that long, especially the people, the survivors, cannot wait that long because they are suffering,” Lacson said in a chance interview yesterday.

“What we did in PARR (Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery) was bottom up. Instead of waiting for the national, we went down to the local government unit and if they prepared a damage assessment, if they have a ready rehabilitation plan, we will use them of course with proper consultation with national agencies.”

Lacson said the ground-breaking ceremonies for new housing units, schools and buildings would start next week.

Today marks the 100th day since typhoon “Yolanda” devastated parts of Visayas and left more than 6,200 persons dead and more than P36-billion worth or properties damaged.

Lacson was named rehabilitation czar a month after the devastation and was tasked to oversee the construction programs in affected areas.

Lacson admitted that only less than 10 percent of the rehabilitation effort has been completed.

“But the coordination is continuous. The coordination is massive and once it starts, it will be continuous and it will be fast. You’ll be surprised,” he said.

“If the full implementation (of the rehabilitation effort) starts, it will sprout like mushrooms,” he added.

Lacson said they are guiding private groups involved in reconstruction activities on government building standards.

'Powerhouse multi-donor fund’

Lacson said a private multi-donor fund that would support rehabilitation and recovery measures may be launched within two weeks.

“The multi-donor fund is private and it will be a powerhouse. We envision to launch it probably in a week or two. I think the donations that will come in will be huge,” he said.

Foreign governments have pledged P23-billion worth of assistance but so far, only P700-million has been delivered.

The gap between the pledges and the delivered amount is huge. It’s our job to follow-up on the pledges,” Lacson said.

Earlier, the National Economic and Development Authority said the recovery and reconstruction activities in typhoon-struck areas would require P361-billion in investments.

The estimated total investment requirements for recovery and reconstruction will cover shelter and resettlement (P183.3-billion), public infrastructure (P28.4-billion), education and health services (P37.4-billion), agriculture (P18.7-billion), industry and services (P70.6-billion), local government (P4-billion) and social protection (P18.4-billion).

Bunkhouse controversy

Meanwhile, Lacson said he has received reports that groups involved in the construction of substandard bunk houses in “Yolanda”-hit areas have laid low.

“I got feedback from the ground and the fisher folk whom we talked to said those involved in substandard construction have laid low.

Lacson said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is now investigating to determine the culpability of contractors.

“Between substandard materials and overpriced (construction), maybe overpricing entails lesser evil right?” the rehabilitation czar said.

“If it (project) was overpriced but the materials are right, we are cheated on our taxes but at least no one will die. But of course it goes without saying that both are evil.”

Lacson scored a provision of the procurement law that gives contractors 90 days to repair substandard structures.

“I am asking Congress to admit this. Why do they seem to encourage the use of substandard materials because they can be repaired? If these are not discovered, they won’t be repaired,” he said.