Congressmen cancel session to attend to flood victims

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has cancelled session today to allow the congressmen of the districts affected by tropical storm “Ondoy” to attend to the needs of their constituents.

House secretary-general Marilyn Yap said she has been instructed by Speaker Prospero Nograles to call off today’s congressional deliberations, including budget hearings and hearings held by several committees.

“There will be no session today and all committee hearings are also cancelled, including appropriations to allow (House) members and staff to attend to concerns relative to the recent calamity,” she said. 

Aside from the district concerns of the congressional representatives, particularly those severely affected in Metro Manila and many other provinces in Luzon, Nograles also said they would also give way to the cleanup of the damaged Batasan Pambansa complex.

Nograles said office work in the institution, which is located in a 16-hectare sprawling complex in Quezon City, is suspended, pointing out that “even congressmen and employees were also affected by the calamity.”

“Today’s session is canceled, clean up. First floor and basement areas, but not too much damage. Leaking on roofs caused also water to go through offices, etc. Congressmen (need) to be in their districts to help out their people,” he said.

In a related development, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo congratulated the members of media who helped the rescuers in saving the lives of flood victims through their reporting.

“I laud the valiant efforts of media practitioners, who despite being victims of the calamity themselves, risk their lives just to bring us on the spot situations which greatly helped our different agencies in mounting rescue operations at the height of the wrath of typhoon Ondoy,” he said.

“I also heard some of them were even personally involved in rescue operations. They were our eyes and ears and their efforts that have saved thousands of lives. I salute you all,” said Arroyo.

Arroyo also expressed his “deepest sympathy to all our kababayan who were affected by the worst natural calamity that struck us in decades especially to those who lost some of their loved ones and those whose properties were either swept or damaged by typhoon Ondoy. My sympathy goes to you all.”

“As a citizen of this country, I am involving myself in rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations not only here in Metro Manila which was one of the worst hit by Ondoy, but especially in my district in Pampanga,” he added.

The government suspended classes in all levels in Metro Manila and Rizal until Tuesday due to the wide damaged caused by Ondoy.

Meanwhile, experts appealed yesterday to Filipinos to enhance their preparedness and stop their “risk denial” to reduce damages and casualties during times of calamities.

Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul noted some alarming changes in the weather in the country this year including the “wet summer;“ the deviation of the normal track of typhoons; “dry August,” when there should have been three or four typhoons; and an unusual number of weather disturbances in September.

He said the South China Sea has also become a source of typhoons in the country that led to the unusual occurrences in southern Philippines.

“Is this climate change? But we have been experiencing these in the last few years,” Yumul said during a briefing in Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

He said the tendency of Filipinos for “risk denial” makes them lax in the face of a looming calamity.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said: “Climate change now is happening and we must accept this.”

He said local officials have been apprised of the possible “geo-hazards” or high-risk areas during natural calamities in their respective jurisdictions and they should use such data to prevent casualties by immediately evacuating residents during typhoon warnings. – With Paolo Romero