Palace: PNoy ready to certify as urgent supplemental budget for disaster rehab

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III is prepared to certify as urgent the proposed P14.6-billion supplemental budget that is intended for the rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by recent disasters, Malacañang said Thursday.

"[H]anda naman po ang Pangulo to do what is needed in terms of the certification of urgency. Hihintayin lang po iyong senyales mula sa kongreso," Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma said in a press briefing.

The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday approved Senate Bill No. 1938 which appropriates P1.46 billion sourced from the suspended Priority Development Assistance Fund of lawmakers.

Senator Francis Escudero, the committee chair, said the re-aligned utilization of the P14.6 billion supplemental fund will be used to augment two items in the 2013 budget: the quick respond funds of various agencies and the President's calamity fund.

Escudero said the whole amount is appropriated to the following departments with critical rehabilitation functions:

- Department of Agriculture (repair and rehabilitation of irrigation system)
- Department of Education (repair and rehabilitation of school buildings)
- Department of Energy (rehabilitation of electrification infrastructure)
- State Universities and Colleges (repair and rehabilitation of academic buildings)
- Department of Health (1. Repair of DOH hospitals, 2. Purchase of health equipment)
- DPWH (Repair, rehabilitation of roads, bridges, government buildings and infrastructure)
- National Housing Authority (purchase of relocation sites and construction of housing units)
- Department of Transportation and Communications (repair/rehabilitation of airports and ports) and;
- Local Government Units (1. repair of rural health units and hospitals, 2. Rehabilitation programs)

The senator said the government critically needs all the fiscal resources to ensure the rehabilitation of communities affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda and other disasters such as the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Bohol, the Zamboanga City siege, and Typhoons Santi and Labuyo.

The supplemental budget will also be among the sources of the P38.9-billion fund approved by the President for the rehabiliation efforts in areas ravaged by Yolanda.

Read: Typhoon rehab: Noy OKs release of P39 B

Meanwhile, Malacañang also said the President has issued directives to concerned government agencies to prevent the devastation wrought by the recent super typhoon.

Coloma said this is aside from the Aquino's approval of his Cabinet’s recommendations on critical actions to be taken after Yolanda.

“Livelihood assistance for farmers and fishermen has also been prioritized due to the extreme damage to crops and coconut trees and the disruption of fishing activities in the typhoon aftermath,” Coloma said.

He added that the President will meet with the Cabinet again on Friday to resume discussions on the rehabilitation and reconstruction plans.

The Palace official said the following directives have been issued to following officials and agencies:

Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo
-to update the list of the most severely affected towns and cities as priority areas for rehabilitation and reconstruction, based on a 50-km radius covered by the movement of the eye of Typhoon Yolanda. The center of Yolanda had packed winds of up to 250 kph and a powerful storm surge.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje
-to issue a detailed Memorandum Order on the implementation of No-Build Zones. This bars the building of structures within three meters in urban areas, 20 meters in agricultural areas; and 40 meters in forest areas.
-to implement a mangrove reforestation program to the coastlines of Leyte and Samar provinces and similarly affected areas.

Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya and Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson
-to prioritize the repair and rebuilding of Tacloban Airport
-to study the construction of an “all-weather airport” in line with the DPWH’s program to make structures more resilient.

All government agencies
to submit to DOST and DPWH complete geo-tagging reports on damaged public facilities, which will be a basis for post-disaster needs assessment and appropriate recovery and reconstruction plans.

DOST and the Communications Group
-to fine-tune communication, education and information programs; use available resources of government media.