Jinggoy presses for disaster program

Silay City, Negros Occidental , Philippines  – Senate president pro tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada renewed yesterday his call on the national government to develop and operationalize a comprehensive disaster management program for the country.

Jinggoy made the appeal after Chile suffered a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake early Saturday morning, followed by several strong aftershocks and tsunamis that roared across the Pacific ocean, with more than 300 deaths reported within the first 24 hours after the quake and some two million more feared heavily affected.

“First of all, I express deep sympathies to the people of Chile as well as to President Michelle Bachelet and incoming President Sebastian Pinera who all suffered dearly from this disaster, as I join all the nations of the world in prayer for the fast recovery of our children brothers and sisters,” he said.

Jinggoy has authored on August 2007 Senate Bill 699 titled “comprehensive disaster management act,” recommending the development and operationalization of a “disaster management program to handle and address disaster issues in their totality, encompassing the aspects of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, emergency operations, relief and rehabilitations, rather than the current emphasis on response operations.”

“In light of this, I reiterate my calls on our national government leaders to give priority and focus on beefing up our country’s own measures in addressing similar occurrences. Our country has always been coping with a hostile environment, continuously expending efforts to survive typhoons, floods, earthquakes, epidemics, fire and other calamities, both natural and man-made,” he said.

Jinggoy’s bill form part of the consolidated Senate Bill entitled “Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act” recently approved by the Upper Chamber on second reading.

Moreover, Jinggoy deplored yesterday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for its lack of information campaign on automated elections for voters in the provinces.

In an interview with reporters, Jinggoy said that he did not vote for the automation of the May 10 presidential elections because Comelec Chairman Jose Melo admitted during the joint congressional inquiry conducted by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the full automation, that there is no guarantee that cheating will be eradicated in an automated elections.

“They can program the computer in favor of any candidate,” he said.

He said he also asked Melo if they are prepared in case of brownouts occur during the elections and the Comelec chief could not give him specific answer.

“I also asked that to Melo. He said they have contingency. I also asked him if that is enough. He did not give specific answer. I am one of the senators who did not vote in favor of the automation because we did not receive any assurance that cheatings will be eradicated through the automation,” Jinggoy said.

He said although it might be true that there is insufficient power that might affect the automated elections, he does not support the proposal to grant Arroyo emergency powers. – Jose Rodel Clapano