President Rodrigo Duterte has urged low income survivors of killer typhoon Odette to refrain from using government’s cash assistance – P5,000 per family of five – on vices.
Addressing typhoon survivors in Bais City, Negros Oriental, Duterte asked on Wednesday, “Have you received the P5,000 cash assistance? Not yet? Or have you spent it all?”
“That’s what usually happens if the husband spends the P5,000 on alcoholic beverages. And the wives, if they have nothing to do, they are like ‘Marites’ and keep on gossiping and playing poker,” he said.
At the same time, Duterte apologized anew for delays in the government distribution of aid to victims in areas battered by Odette.
He said a certain law required the assessment of reports on disaster areas before a state of calamity can be declared.
“Let me start by asking for your forgiveness because the government’s relief operation was delayed. This is because there’s a law that hinders me from mobilizing and using government funds. This provision requires an assessment, a report of the damage inflicted by the typhoon,” he said.
Duterte acknowledged that the assessment of reports would be used as a basis to determine the proper measures to implement.
But he said the “problem” was the law’s provision also delayed the release of necessary funds until after the assessment was completed.
“That’s the problem there. I can’t withdraw the funds without this report and neither can I make a declaration,” he said.
For his part, acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said Duterte instructed the Department of Social Welfare and Development to provide the typhoon victims trapal (tarpaulin), family food packs, kitchenware (kaldero), and financial assistance.
Duterte also directed the Department of Health to address the health concerns of the typhoon victims.
Meanwhile, a congressional leader has expressed support for Duterte’s call for the strengthening of the National Disaster Response and Resiliency Law.
Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, principal author of House Bill 5989 or the Department of Disaster Resilience Bill, agreed with President Duterte’s call for a system of declaring a state of calamity that is more responsive to the needs of disaster-stricken areas.
“I agree with President Duterte that we need to amend the National Disaster Risk Reduction Law or RA 10121 to make the system for declaring a state of calamity more immediately responsive to the needs of affected communities,” Salceda said.
RA 10121 currently mandates the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to make the recommendation for the declaration of a state of calamity by the President, based on certain criteria set by the NDRRMC.
Meanwhile, the country’s two largest telecommunication companies continue to make progress in restoring their services in areas affected by Odette, which left nearly 400 people dead.
“Technical teams are working continuously to repair affected sites and fully restore communication services in the province,” PLDT said.
“PLDT and Smart augmented prepositioned personnel in Palawan after it sent additional engineers and equipment through a chartered flight with the group’s aviation unit Pacific Global One Aviation,” it added.
Globe Telecom, on the other hand, said 50 percent of mobile network services were restored in Leyte and Southern Leyte.
This includes 41 municipalities and cities in Leyte, and 5 towns in Southern Leyte. Globe’s field teams are working 24/7 to bring communications facilities back following the devastation caused by Odette.