'Humanitarian crisis in towns around Laguna Lake'

ANGELES CITY – The  Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), Save Laguna Lake Movement (SLLM) and Anakpawis party-list  declared yesterday a “humanitarian crisis”  in the towns around Laguna de Bay and called for a shift in relief, health care and rehabilitation efforts.

“Thousands of families are still housed in evacuation centers, yet the assistance provided by the national government and concerned local government units is just 10 percent of the required aid,” said Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap in a statement.

Hicap, who is also the vice chairperson of Anakpawis, lamented “the snail-paced” relief and rehabilitation efforts, adding that they were “ineffective, extremely lacking and unresponsive.”

At least 17,190 families remain in evacuation centers in Laguna and 12,000 families in Rizal.

The government has yet to conduct relief operations in barangays Ticulio, Navotas and Subay, all fishing villages in Talim Island where a total of 1,103 families were affected, Pamalakaya said.

No less than 6,000 families in 34 barangays have yet to receive relief goods from the national government, it added. 

Pamalakaya, SLLM and Anakpawis also urged the LLDA to work for the release of at least P2 billion for its relief and rehabilitation efforts.

“President Aquino should release the calamity funds upon the request of people’s associations and local government units. The people fully deserve any appropriate assistance. The P21.7-billion calamity fund for 2012 belongs to them,” they said.