P8b to rebuild typhoon-hit Panay, Negros

Congress has earmarked a supplemental budget of P8 billion for the rehabilitation of communities in Panay and Negros islands that were devastated by typhoon Frank on June 20 last year.

Senator Edgardo Angara, chairman of the finance committee, said the creation of the so-called Paglaum (meaning hope) Fund is a commitment made by President Arroyo in her desire to hasten the recovery of the typhoon-ravaged communities.

Angara, sponsor of the measure, said the Paglaum Fund is similar to the multi-billion-peso Mount Pinatubo Rehabilitation Fund which benefited areas destroyed by the eruption of the volcano in l99l and the lahar mudflows. It is also patterned after the Pl0-billion Bicol Development Fund used for the reconstruction of provinces in the Bicol region and nearby provinces ravaged by typhoon Reming.

The House of Representatives has already approved the Paglaum Fund and the Senate is expected to pass it next week. Covered by the fund are the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz and Antique.

Typhoon Frank actually left total damages estimated at Pl3.5 billion in 6,377 barangays in 58 provinces, and caused the death of 557 victims and injuries to 826 others while 87 were listed as missing.

More than 8l,000 houses were destroyed and 300,000 more were damaged. Losses in agriculture sector alone were placed at P7.5 billion, including P2.6 billion in fisheries. Some P500 million worth of

school buildings and other facilities were destroyed. Several

kilometers of roads were also destroyed and bridges collapsed from heavy floodwaters.

The administration-sponsored measure calls for the establishment of a Western Visayas Rehabilitation and Development Commission which shall formulate plans for relief operations, reconstruction and construction of public infrastructures, livelihood projects and other support services.

Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, co-sponsor of the measure, said Western Visayas accounted for 60 percent or P8 billion of the damages wrought by typhoon Frank, “The problem is aggravated by the incapacity of the local government units to shoulder the relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation by themselves,” he said.

The affected communities received donations in cash amounting to $6l3,000 and $500,000 in checks. They also got P22 million worth of donations in kind.

“However the damages need consistent and long-term availability of material, financial and logistical resources that cannot be sustained by donations alone,” Zubiri said. –Fel V. Maragay, Manila Standard Today