DBM readies release of funds for typhoon-ravaged areas
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. yesterday asked Pres. Arroyo for him to be given authority to conduct "performance evaluation" of the budgetary needs of the different national agencies relative to the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the typhoon-ravaged areas in the country particularly on Panay island. The destruction in infrastructure , fishery and agriculture amounted to billions of pesos.
Andaya's request was made in yesterday's cabinet meeting held at the conference room of the Iloilo Airport in Cabatuan presided by President Arroyo.
Andaya made such response after being asked by the President on the availability of funds needed for the repair of infrastructures from roads to bridges, schools, procurement of rice seeds for the farmers, text books and other instructional materials.
The cabinet meeting was attended by different secretaries, namely, Department of National Defense, Public Works and Highways, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Transportation and Communications and Department of Energy among others
For the infrastructure sector alone, Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. presented a budgetary requirement of P8 billion for the repair of 35 bridges in Panay. Of the 35 bridges, one was totally washed out by flash floods when typhoon Frank hit Panay.
Seven bridges needs to be reconstructed. The estimated budget for the reconstruction of the seven bridges is P1.247 billion. Some of the bridges were built in the 1930s, said Ebdane.
In the same cabinet meeting, Ebdane said his department immediately responded to the needs of the typhoon affected areas.
Aside from Ebdane, Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap likewise presented his report on the destruction caused by Typhoon Frank in the agriculture and fishery sector. Yap reported to the president that the impact of the typhoon in the national government's target in food sufficiency particularly in rice is only .47 percent.
Yap described the impact in the agriculture and fishery sectors as "minimal." However, the government needs to extend livelihood assistance among the affected farmers. The department is eyeing to release sacks of rice seeds to help the farmers.
The department needs some 30,000 sacks of rice seeds for the farmers. They have already at hand some 10,000 sacks of rice seeds and needs some 20,000 more sacks. They bought the rice seeds in Nueva Ecija and some parts of Luzon, said Yap.
In the education sector, Undersecretary Ramon Bacani was chided by Pres. Arroyo after his report on the number of schools affected by the typhoon differed from the data of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.
Nevertheless, Bacani said that around P30 million was already released by the Department of Education for the repair and rehabilitation of the affected schools.
Meanwhile, Presidential Assistant for Panay and Guimaras Raul Banias was designated chair of Task Force Panay which was formed to oversee the rehabilitation of the typhoon ravaged areas on Panay island.