Sara, Imee not in Yolanda rites guest list  

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos, both part of the UniTeam in the 2022 elections, were no-shows at the 10th year celebration of the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in Tacloban City yesterday.

President Marcos, a close friend of Duterte, was the guest of honor and speaker for the milestone annual event also attended by foreign dignitaries, local government unit (LGU) officials and representatives of non-government organizations that helped in the reconstruction of Tacloban, considered the typhoon’s ground zero.

Based on the City Hall list of invited guests for the ceremony, the names of Sara and Imee were not included.

Despite being absent from the event, Duterte posted on her Facebook account a statement accompanied with a video message on the Yolanda 10th anniversary stressing the importance of disaster risk reduction, climate change mitigation and disaster preparedness.

“It is crucial that we learn from the lessons of the past and take proactive steps to prevent such catastrophic events from happening again,” Duterte said.

Super Typhoon Yolanda is considered the strongest typhoon that hit the country in recent history with wind speed of 315 kilometers per hour that caused storm surges to low-lying areas especially in Leyte and Samar provinces.

The typhoon left over 6,300 people dead and damage worth P95.48 billion.

Duterte said that to protect vulnerable communities from the adverse impact of future calamities, the government must invest in “resilient infrastructure, early warning systems and education on disaster preparedness.”

“Today, as we remember the lives lost, let us unite in solidarity and recommit ourselves to creating a safer, more resilient future defined by sustainable development. Together, we can build communities that are better prepared to face the challenges posed by natural disasters and climate change,” Duterte said.

She at the same time honored the resilience and courage of the people who were affected by Yolanda.

“In the midst of unimaginable destruction, we witnessed the unwavering spirit of Filipinos, who rose above adversity and rebuilt their lives with determination and courage,” Duterte said.

The Vice President also paid tribute to the people and organizations who responded during the super typhoon.

Pabahay project

President Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez led the distribution of land titles to beneficiaries of the Pabahay housing project in Tacloban, specifically for those who were rendered homeless by the typhoon 10 years ago.

“This is not merely a piece of paper. It represents our commitment to providing a stable and secure future for our people. It symbolizes hope, permanence, and the dream of every resident of Tacloban to have a place they can genuinely call home,” the Speaker said.

The House leader also paid tribute to thousands who died during the onslaught and in the aftermath of Yolanda.

Evacuation centers

A Senate panel formally endorsed for plenary consideration a bill mandating the construction of typhoon-resilient and earthquake-proof evacuation centers nationwide.

In his speech during the plenary on Nov. 7, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense and security, sponsored Senate Bill 2451 or the proposed “Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act” under Committee Report 139 which seeks to put up permanent, disaster-resilient, fully equipped evacuation centers for all cities and municipalities in the country.

“We want to make sure that the evacuation centers that will be built are stable and will be a safe shelter for our countrymen during calamities,” Estrada said. “Aside from ensuring the safety of evacuation centers during calamities, deluges or public health crises, it must also be ensured that their facilities are decent.”

“It is imperative that we have these structures built and ready as we do not know when the so-called Big One will happen or when another Yolanda will cross over our islands. The sad thing here is that the poor are the ones who are hit and the ones who are always overwhelmed by the onslaught of calamities,” the senator noted. - Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe