P15B ‘CARE’ fund proposed for disaster victims

A young boy waits at the side of the road for fresh water surrounded by debris from Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, central Philippines, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013. Authorities said at least 9.7 million people in 41 provinces were affected by the typhoon, which is called Yolanda in the Philippines but is known as Haiyan elsewhere in Asia. It’s one of the most powerful recorded typhoons to ever hit land and likely the deadliest natural disaster to beset this poor Southeast Asian nation. AP

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Franklin Drilon  is proposing the creation of a P15-billion Calamity Assistance and Rehabilitation Effort (CARE) Fund under the proposed P2.268-trillion  national budget next year for the reconstruction of areas devastated by recent massive calamities.

“The 2014 national budget must provide for funds badly needed by our countrymen, who suffered the misfortunes brought about by the series of massive natural and man-made disasters,” Drilon said in a statement on Thursday.

“The magnitude of the damage caused by the recent calamities most specifically super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ is extensive. The rehabilitation aspect would require much more funds,” he said.

Drilon said the proposed 2014 budget did not take into account the need for massive and immediate rehabilitation of infrastructure  “because  no one could have predicted the severe damage caused by the calamities that struck the country in the last quarter of 2013.”

He then proposed the creation of the CARE Fund, which he said should be used “exclusively” for the construction of housing units, repair and rehabilitation of irrigation systems, school buildings, power infrastructures, hospitals, and public infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and government buildings.

The  P15 billion fund, Drilon said, should be specifically used for the rehabilitation, repair, and construction works and activities in areas devastated by typhoons “Santi,” “Labuyo” and “Yolanda,” 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the Visayas region, and the siege in Zamboanga City.

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Drilon said the money could be sourced from Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, which has P81.06 billion allocation for 2014.

The  funding requirement for the filling up of unfilled positions, he said,  should be reduced by P8 billion – from P35.65 billion to P27.64 billion while the funds for the creation of new positions should also be reduced by P7 billion – from P16.07 billion to P9.07 billion.

The Senate leader also proposed that the P15 billion CARE Fund be distributed to the Department of Public Works and Highway (P6 billion) for the repair and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, government buildings, as well as the restoration of declared historical sites and structures; Department of Education (P2.75 billion) and State Universities and Colleges (P1.25 billion) for the repair of school buildings; and National Housing Authority (P1.5 billion) for the establishment of relocation sites and construction of housing units.

The Department of Health, he said, should also be given P1 billion for the repair of hospitals and P750 million each to the Department of Energy for the restoration of power utilities and the National Irrigation Administration for the repair of irrigation systems.

He said another P1 billion should likewise be allocated to local government units for the repair of rural health units and hospitals and to fund other rehabilitation programs.

Drilon proposed that the 2014 national budget should provide that the release of the said funds should be made directly to the appropriate implementing agencies and/or concerned local government units in accordance with the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council and approval of the President of the Philippines.

The same provision, he said,  was applied in the 2007 General Appropriations Act when the country was beset by catastrophic typhoons namely Milenyo, Paeng, Reming, and Seniang.

Drilon, who was then chairman of the Senate committee on finance,  said an amount of P8 billion lodged under the Calamity Fund, was allocated for rehabilitation, repair, and reconstruction works and activities in areas damaged by those typhoons

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