Lacson wants more teeth in rehab task

MANILA, Philippines - If former senator Panfilo Lacson would have his way, he wants more teeth in his role as Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR).

Lacson said he would seek audience with President Aquino next week after his lawyer completed a draft of administrative order or an executive order giving more teeth to his office.

“Potency is all I wanted. Not the dose that would kill but more potent to project power,” Lacson said in Filipino as he explained why he needed more oversight power over the agencies implementing the rehabilitation efforts for the areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda.

Last December, President Aquino signed memorandum order No. 62 appointing Lacson with a rank of secretary.

Under MO 62, Lacson is mandated to “act as the over-all manager and coordinator of rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts of government departments, agencies and instrumentalities” in Yolanda-hit areas including Samar, Leyte, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo and Palawan.

Lacson said the present oversight power of PARR is like monitoring, which is already being done by the media and other civil society groups.

He stressed PARR needs more power to initiate an investigation into the possible cause of delay of certain projects.

Lacson was quick to clarify the power he is asking is not for him, but for his office to allow a proactive exercise of its oversight power.

Lacson called for public vigilance in monitoring the implementation of the rehabilitation and recovery plan since the government has allocated about P170 billion for the project.

He said that if corrupt officials manage to make even a percent kickback from the total funds of the Yolanda rehabilitation amounting to P171 billion, that would mean P1.71 billion to the detriment of the victims of Yolanda.

Lacson said there should be significant improvement in rehabilitation and recovery effort in five months in Yolanda devastated areas, in time for the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines in January.