MANILA, Philippines — The Senate committees on environment and on public works on Thursday will hold an inquiry into the massive flooding experienced by Luzon when it was battered by Typhoon Ulysses last month.
The joint panel will primarily discuss Philippine Senate Resolution No. 581, filed by Sen. Cynthia Villar, which calls for an inquiry "on the alleged denuded state of forests and watersheds as well as the apparent heavy siltation on rivers and tributaries."
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In her resolution, Villar — who chairs the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change — said the sorry state of forests and watersheds "contributed to the immense flooding in some parts of Luzon during the onslaught ofthe recent typhoons, particularly Typhoon Ulysses."
She added that the goal of the probe would be to create legislation that would strengthen "the conservation of the country's forest cover and waterways in order to mitigate, if not altogether prevent, the devastating effects of natural disasters."
Sen. Manny Pacquiao chairs the panel on public works.
The joint panel will also take into consideration five other resolutions similarly calling for probes into the causes of the flooding and disaster which aggravated the adverse effects of Ulysses:
- PS Resolution No. 570, filed by Sen. Bong Revilla, urges an inquiry on "the massive flooding caused by water releases from dams."
- PS Resolution No. 571, filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, seeks a probe into the "causes of severe flooding in the aftermath of Ulysses."
- PS Resolution No. 573, filed by Sen. Imee Marcos, calls for an investigation of the "alleged man-made disaster following the onslaught of Ulysses."
- PS Resolution No. 575, filed by Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, calls for a probe into the "unprecedented flooding in Cagayan Valley and Isabela."
- PS Resolution No. 579, filed by Sen. Leila de Lima, calls for an inquiry into the "underlying causes of the recent record-high flooding in the aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses."
— Bella Perez-Rubio