Puno and Local Chief Execs Meet to Craft New Disaster Protocols

October 10, 2009

Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of the Interior and Local Government has met with local chief executives of calamity-stricken provinces, cities and municipalities to craft a new set of disaster control and rescue protocols in the aftermath of typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”

Puno, who arrived early Friday morning from a short trip abroad to preside over a meeting in Camp Crame that same day, said the inputs of  the local officials will be used to craft disaster control and rescue plans at the regional level.
 
These regional plans will then be submitted to the Office of the President and  the National Disaster and Coordinating Council  (NDCC), Puno said. 
 
“Ang pakay natin ngayong umaga ay makabuo ng bagong disaster control plan kasi nakita natin pagkatapos ng Ondoy na may ibang profile na ang mga disasters na kinakaharap natin ngayon (Our purpose this morning  is to come up with a new disaster control plan because after typhoon Ondoy, we saw a different profile to the disasters that we will face in the future,” Puno said. “We used to focus on relief and rehabilitation but now we saw after Ondoy that we need to also focus on rescue operations.” 
 
Puno said that the PNP, for its part, will deploy 75 new rubber boats in police stations located in endangered areas in various cities and municipalities in Metro Manila.
 
Local calamity funds, which when pooled, would total P21.55 billion, could  also be tapped to augment the national government’s ongoing relief and rehabilitation operations, Puno likewise noted.
 
Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, who is also the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and League of Cities, meanwhile recommended that the DILG come up with a comprehensive list of LGUs in need of assistance during times of calamity to effectively distribute local calamity funds to them.
 
ULAP, he said, is ready with P1 billion in local calamity funds for the use of disaster-hit LGUs. 
 
 Among the other local chief executives present at the meeting were Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares III, Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro; Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, Pasig City Mayor Bobby Eusebio, Cainta Mayor Mon Ilagan,  and Candaba Mayor Gerry Pelayo.
 
Puno lauded the local officials in the calamity-stricken areas of Metro Manila and nearby provinces for working quietly but tirelessly at the height of typhoon “Ondoy” to personally oversee rescue and relief efforts in their respective localities despite several constraints and obstacles facing them.
 
The DILG chief said that contrary to the claims of some critics, the mayors in cities and municipalities battered by typhoon “Ondoy” should be commended instead of suspended. 
 
Puno noted that on instructions of President Arroyo, he had personally overseen rescue and relief efforts on the day when massive floods paralyzed most  of Metro Manila by mobilizing the PNP’s Maritime Group, Special Action Force and other units,  as well as the various DILG attached agencies such as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) to help disaster victims.
 
“Hindi ito panahon para magsisihan. Napakalaki ng problema natin. Hindi suspension ang irerekomenda ko kundi commendation ang sasabihin ko kay Presidente para sa ating mga local officials (This is not the time to blame each other. We have an enormous problem that needs to be addressed.  Instead of a suspension, what I will recommend to the President is a commendation for our local officials),” Puno said.
 
Majority of the local officials present, among them Lim, Fernando and Ilagan,  recommended the relocation of informal settlers living near esteros and waterways to prevent  a repeat of the massive flooding in several parts of Metro Manila triggered by “Ondoy.”
 
They also recommended the need to establish a plan to control traffic during times of calamity to prevent road congestion that could hamper rescue and relief efforts.
 
On the part of the DILG and PNP, Puno cited the need to establish emergency communication systems and preposition available equipment and rescue facilities by setting up staging areas for them to enable the government to  swiftly and effectively respond during times of calamities.