Rebuilding after Yolanda: How to do it right

Whether in business or other aspects of our lives, remember the wisdom in the Chinese word for “crisis,” which is made up of two characters: “danger” and “opportunity.” No matter how bad a crisis is, seize the opportunity for change and a better future!

A year after the world’s strongest super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) wreaked havoc on the Visayas region, causing huge loss of life and economic destruction, let us not only move forward with comprehensive rehabilitation under the no-nonsense Secretary Ping Lacson, but also seize some golden opportunities for that region and for the whole Philippines:

1. Show the world a good example of unity and compassion. Forget the ugly political squabbles of the past and let us work harmoniously to rehabilitate Tacloban City, northern Cebu and other hard-hit areas, not only to boost the national morale, but also the international image of the Philippines. Remember the 1997 Asian financial crisis? When we witnessed scenes of Korean citizens lining up to donate gold to their government’s depleted national treasury, South Korea impressed the rest of the world. Let us show the world that it’s not only tourism that’s fun in the Philippines, but the traditional bayanihan spirit that energizes our rehabilitation efforts.

2. Rebuild transport facilities and boost global tourism. I urge government, the private sector and foreign investors to rush new transport infrastructure like the airport, seaport and tourism facilities like hotels or resorts to make the Yolanda-affected areas into major tourist destinations. Develop local tourist attractions.

Pope Francis’s visit to the Philippines will surely be of global media interest. Why not seize this opportunity to make the region a major tourism draw? Other global celebrities have also visited Yolanda-hit areas, from pop star Justin Bieber to CNN journalist Anderson Cooper. Why not ask for their help to plug the region’s tourism attractions?

3. Create a new and better masterplan for Tacloban and other hard-hit areas.

4. Galvanize the Yolanda rehabilitation as a massive Marshall Plan-type economic stimulus to develop the long-neglected economic potential of Tacloban, Leyte and surrounding areas.

5. Let us focus on supporting Yolanda victims to be self-sufficient, instead of just giving doleouts or charity.

This column was inspired by the Yolanda anniversary music video of singer Raki Vega entitled We Will Rise Again — sent to me by Undersecretary Lesley Cordero — and also an email by Jaycees national president and Toyota’s Tacloban City distributor Jimjim Yaokasin. I am sharing excerpts from Yaokasin’s letter below:

“Dear Wilson, I am Jimjim Yaokasin, a businessman based in Tacloban City. For years, I have been an avid reader of your column and have picked up nuggets of wisdom from your many articles about our local tycoons and their secrets to success. I also know that Philippine STAR and your column have a wide readership and are followed by many people, including our leaders in government.

“As the one-year anniversary of typhoon Yolanda approaches, it pains me to see people still living in tents, in bunkhouses, in constant fear every time rain comes, still dependent on relief goods. While the people have been praised for being resilient and persevering, I feel that a lot more could have been done.

“Mercifully, the President has finally approved the master plan developed by OPARR, several volumes thick and several thousands of pages long… Allow me to ask for your intercession with your friends in government for some of my proposals which may not have been included in the master plan.

“1. Please prioritize streetlights in the highways and towns and cities. This will not cost much, and for the towns and cities still suffering from a drop in local revenue, the government could subsidize the cost of electricity in maintaining these lights. Streetlights can be funded by the DPWH Road Board or the DOE Malampaya Fund.

“2. We need more patrol cars and more policemen. A lot of the police force died during Yolanda and most of their cars and equipment were totally destroyed. Once the NGOs leave the city, crime rates will go up. We need more police visibility.

“3. Declare the affected cities and towns as BOI priority areas. Tax and other fiscal incentives should be made available for all new businesses and industries who locate in these areas. Duty-free importation, tax holidays and other incentives should be given commensurate to the number of employees the businesses will generate.

“4. Onsite relocation — The relocation sites are mostly 30 kilometers or more from their places of employment; while these may be considered safer zones, the cost of transportation will eat up their income. The government can fill and elevate the present sites by three or four meters, then build tenement housing like the five-story building ‘’along da riles’’ in Manila, leaving the first floor vacant and available as a talipapa, market, or commercial area, and only the second to fifth floors for dwelling. Thats already a seven-meter upward elevation and, I think, a good enough buffer for storm surges.

“5. Airport — The airport needs a new terminal and the runway has to be rushed. There has been a 15-year-old plan to build a new terminal. After four Presidents, it remains a plan with the latest approved budget diverted to DAP. What is taking DOTC so long to get this project running? If they can’t do it, then offer it up as a BOT/PPP. I am sure the private sector can finish it in two years and with more than 11 flights daily, they will get their investment back in a short period.

“6. Housing — The building of permanent housing is at a snail’s pace. There are many NGOs that want to build houses but they don’t have the available lots. Use the powers of expropriation on the identified lots so that houses can be built already. As it is now, the donors instead are the ones waiting for the government. How long can they wait ?

“7. Schools — Rebuilding of schools is ongoing. However, we should stop building one-story schoolbuildings as the schools are usually used as evacuation sites. It should all be at least two stories already and evacuation centers should be in the second floor.

“8. Cash transfers — In the aftermath of Yolanda, the Tzu Chi Buddhist organization effected cash transfers of P500 per person per day and then up to P15,000 per family. This was what kept the economy going at that time, a very timely and critical adrenaline rush that boosted the post-disaster economy and gave hope to the victims. The government can find a way to do this through the DSWD Conditional Cash Transfer program; a bigger year-end bonus can also be given to all government employees in the affected areas and the SSS can give one-time disaster assistance to its members. This injection of cash into the disaster-affected economies will go a long way towards providing purchasing power to the victims.

“I have faith in the President and the government in their sincerity to alleviate the present conditions. The only concern I have is the President might have been fed with sugarcoated or inaccurate data that affected his decision making during Yolanda and right after. That would explain the disconnect with reality of many government actions and statements. May God direct their hearts to the right place and grant them wisdom to do the task entrusted to them by virtue of them being placed there by Him for times such as this.

“Thank you and God bless you!”

Jimjim Yaokasin

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