Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri shared before Palaweños last Thursday, February 3, 2022, how his “Operation Tulong” for the communities affected by Typhoon Odette is still doing round-the-clock work in reaching out the areas and how it inspired him to push another bill that aims to help the survivors get back on their feet.
“I filed a bill called ‘Paglaum.’ This is a supplemental budget para makapagbigay po tayo ng ayuda and infrastructure sa mga napinsala ng Typhoon Odette,” he explained.
He said that the 2022 annual budget had already been approved last December 16, a day before the typhoon hit some parts of the country, which had left houses to be rebuilt.
“Although we have an amount of leeway, hindi ganun kalaki. Ang gusto ko pong mangyari, given the chance na makabalik po tayo sa Senado, ay magkaroon po ng ‘Paglaum Fund’ for the Typhoon Odette,” he elaborated.
He wants the supplemental budget of P20 billion, with an additional of P10 billion to help the people rebuild their houses or start livelihood sources. Zubiri thinks that the restoration of the affected areas could sum up to P100 billion.
“We have partially and totally damaged homes. Although tumutulong ang NHA and the DSWD, it is not enough. I think the amount being given by the DSWD for partially (damaged houses) is around P20,000 lang and then P5,000, P10,000 for the totally damaged,” he said emphasizing that the amount is too small.
He plans to raise the assistance for the partially-damaged homes between P25,000-30,000 and about P50,000-60,000 for each family who have totally-damaged homes.
“Para makapagpatayo sila ulit ng disenteng tahanan na hindi naman puro kawayan lang ang ginamit at nipa,” he said, adding the fund would be released this year if the bill is passed by Congress and signed by the President into law.
Senator Zubiri also expressed his worries about the classroom buildings to be used in the upcoming elections, whose roofs were damaged by the previous typhoon.
“Hopefully, on June 30 or July 1, i-refile po namin yan (Paglaum) para maipasa, para we have long-lasting assistance. Kasi hindi po kaya ng local government. It is a very difficult thing to do–to rebuild the houses from scratch. In many areas, it is like nothing was (ever) built. Yan ang tututukan ko talaga (ang pagpapatayo),” he said.
In the turnover program, he recalled the previous projects that he delivered to the city: 1) P10 million for multipurpose buildings in Irawan; 2) Multipurpose building in Liminangcong, Taytay, Palawan worth P10 million.
He also shared the previous “record-breaking” performance by the Senate, last Monday, January 31, 2022. “For the first time, we passed 166 bills into third reading, all in one day. Karamihan dyan ay local bills–kasama na dyan yung amendment to Palawan State University, establishment of marine hatchlings sa Sta. Lucia, LTFRB extension office in Puerto Princesa City, and integrating the Palawan State University by creating regular campuses,” he stated.