MALACAÑANG assured additional funding in the 2016 national budget for the timely provision of viable shelters away from risky zones for thousands of Typhoon Yolanda refugees.
Communications Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. made the assurance on Sunday, as he acknowledged findings by United Nations Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani, who checked on the status of Yolanda refugees.
Beyani, at the end of a 10-day visit, prodded the government “to follow-through with its commitments and devote much-needed attention and resources to internally displaced persons [refugees] until durable solutions are attained and their futures are secured.”
The UN official, in a statement, lauded the government “for its responses to the massive internal displacement caused by Typhoon Yolanda,” even as he expressed concern that “attention and resources appear to be waning before durable solutions are achieved.”
Yolanda, which made landfall in Tacloban in November 2013, killed over 6,300 victims and displaced thousands more, mostly in the Visayas.
On Sunday Coloma reaffirmed assurance that adequate provisions were made for Yolanda rehabilitation efforts in the national budget.
“Sa panukalang 2016 budget, mayroong karagdagang pondo para sa pagpapatuloy ng pagbabagong-tatag ng mga komunidad na lubhang naapektuhan ng mga kalamidad katulad ng Typhoon Yolanda at ang mga kaganapan sa Zamboanga at Cotabato,” Coloma said over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.
He said the government was grateful for Beyani’s visit, as well as his comprehensive report containing concrete proposals on how to further improve government response to calamity situations.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo kay UN Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani sa kanyang pagbisita noong nakaraang sampung araw at sa kanyang mga kongkretong panukala kung paano pa higit na mapahusay ang pagtugon ng pamahalaan sa kalamidad,” he added.
Coloma, however, said he still needs to double-check the total allocation and confirm the final figure with the Department of Budget and Management.
Still, Coloma affirmed the government’s commitment to provide relief to internally displaced victims of calamities.
“Patuloy ang pagtutok ng pamahalaan na bigyan ng sapat na tulong ang mga internally displaced person, partikular hinggil sa pagtatayo ng mga permanente, ligtas at disenteng tahanan,” Coloma said.
He added that various government agencies, including the National Housing Authority, Department, of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Public Works and Highways were given marching orders to continue coordinating with local government units in quickly responding to the needs of affected communities so lives of typhoon survivors could return to normal.
“Tinitiyak natin sa United Nations na higit pang pag-i-igtingin ang determinasyong makumpleto ang trabaho ng rehabilitasyon upang tiyakin na lahat ng mga nawalan ng bahay dahil sa bagyong Yolanda ay maililipat sa permanente at disenteng mga human settlements na malayo sa danger zones na kanilang pinanggalingan,” Coloma said.
1 comment
The funds have always been there, starting with the international donations. The question is where is the money? And, also why two tears later, we still have done very little? It is not a question of money, unless that money has already been diverted.