Construction of evacuation centers set aside
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to construct permanent evacuation centers for disaster victims will have to take a backseat as the government realigns funds for the new coronavirus pandemic.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque admitted that many government programs were placed on the back burner for now to divert resources for COVID-19.
“Of course, all of our plans were set aside for now because we’re all focused on COVID-19,” Roque said in a dzBB radio interview on Saturday.
Duterte had urged Congress to allocate funds to construct permanent evacuation centers for disaster victims at the height of Taal Volcano’s eruption.
He sought at least P50 billion to be set aside to construct evacuation centers.
—JULIE M. AURELIO
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