Much to be done

It is encouraging that Malacañang has ordered government agencies to review and update the country’s disaster preparedness.

The Senate Committees on Environment and Climate Change held a hearing yesterday on the preparedness of government agencies pursuant to a resolution filed by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri.    

Sen. Loren Legarda has pointed out that in the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study conducted jointly by JICA, MMDA and Phivolcs, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake will result in a major disaster and great loss of lives with 500 fires in Metro Manila.

Phivolcs reports there are three fault lines running under Metro Manila, namely the Marikina Trench, Manila Trench and the West Valley Fault.

Sen. Legarda and DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson are correct to point out the necessity of reviewing the building code requirements to make sure Metro Manila buildings can stand an earthquake of 9 magnitude as already happened in Japan and Chile. The height limit on buildings must also be reviewed.

Metro Manila Mayors must now expedite the tearing down of long condemned buildings and houses and resettle squatters living directly on top of the three fault lines. Senator Legarda rightly suggests that hospitals which need to operate during disasters and schools that become evacuation centers must be retrofitted and strengthened. Much remains to be done immediately if we are to mitigate loss of life and property. As what happened in New Zealand, churches must also be checked if they are safe. Msgr. Clemente Ignacio has started to check Quiapo Church.

Malacañang is wrong to call Architect Jun Palafox and other commentators “alarmists” for calling attention to our lack of preparedness. They should welcome all suggestions to improve our disaster preparedness program. One good suggestion, we should now ask USAID to donate to us the sophisticated rescue equipment that the US rescue teams used in Haiti and now brought to Japan. For example, there’s a US equipment where a rod can be used to go down seven stories with camera and phone to be able to see and talk to survivors. Since roads will be damaged, road board funds can also be used to buy equipment.

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42 MISSING. . . After days of reporting no Filipino casualties, the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo has confirmed that 42 Filipinos are missing in the Northern Japan earthquake/tsunami area.

Due to fears of radiation, the Tokyo embassy recalled its two teams sent to the area. Migrante International has complained that Filipinos in the evacuation centers complained that the two teams did not bring any food and water to help them. A little common sense should have told them to bring much needed relief in their cars.

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GROWING FEAR. . . ANC reports that teachers in Valenzuela City report a growing number of pupils being abducted or attempted to be kidnapped from school. Six cases have been reported the last two months. This has not been reported in the media, heretofore. This is truly a deplorable situation that the PNP must be held responsible for.

Fear is growing among teachers and especially parents. Since the great majority are poor parents who cannot afford to hire housemaids to escort their kids to school, the working parents have to take time out from their work to bring their kids to school and to fetch them to go home.

Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian and the City Council must adopt measures like assigning security guards and tanods to every school. NGOs can also be harnessed to safeguard the kids.

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SHOOT TO KILL. . . Manila Mayor Fred Lim issued a shoot-to-kill order for the five Manila policemen who stole P12.1 million of the ransom money paid by Malaysian businessman Eric Sim Chin Tong. The five arresting policemen Senior Inspector Peter Nerviza, SPO3 Ernesto Peralta, PO3 Jefferson Brittanica, PO3 Mike Ongpares and PO1 Rommel Ocampo surfaced and denied pocketing the money.

Mayor Lim correctly points out that the guilt of the five policemen is indicated by their having gone absent without official leave (AWOL). Lim also questioned why they did not go back immediately to the station after the arrest of the kidnappers. Secretary Robredo, what happened to your reform and retraining programs?

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NO PCOS RECOUNT. . . Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said Tuesday that a manual recount will be used to resolve pending protests reversing a decision of then Chairman Jose Melo.

The manual recount will now show if there was automated cheating during the 2010 elections charged by candidates in 50 provinces before the House hearing. There are more than 2,000 pending election protests including that of the Lito Atienza against Mayor Alfredo Lim, the Barbers protests in Surigao del Norte and several town mayoralty candidates in Cebu.

Excellent decision, Chairman Brillantes.

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TIDBITS. . . Add the Japan 9 magnitude earthquake disaster to the list of events that will result in Filipino OFWs losing or leaving their jobs in Japan. OWWA should help them, provide tickets to those in need.

Former Congressman Rodolfo Ompong Plaza was given a surprise party Sunday night at the Discovery Suites in Mandaluyong. Heading the guests were President Joseph Estrada, Vice President and Mrs. Jejomar Binay, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, Deputy Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella, COA Chairman Rey Villar, former Philippine Navy FOIC Ferdinand Golez, former Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, former Cong. Luis Asistio, former DND Sec. Bert Gonzales, Tony Boy Cojuangco, Gretchen Barreto, and Amb. Jun Lozada. President P-Noy was reportedly unhappy with Mar Roxas in Singapore for his failure to explain why he was in the Presidential party.

Yes, it is true Pagcor Chairman Crisino “Bong” Naguiat bought a new house in high end La Vista subdivision in Quezon City where GMA, Iggy, Mikey and Dato Arroyo, Mike Defensor and Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago have luxurious homes. La Vista is sitting near the West Valley fault.