Yolanda rehab: 2 Cabinet clusters still delinquent

Because of ‘incorrigibly uncooperative’ cluster heads? Not necessarily, the rehabilitation chief’s office says

MANILA, Philippines – Despite Rehabilitation Secretary Panfilo Lacson’s warning against “incorrigibly uncooperative” colleagues, two Cabinet clusters continue to stall rehabilitation efforts after Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

The Cabinet’s livelihood and support clusters haven’t submitted a key requirement to speed up rehabilitation, Lacson’s spokesperson said in a joint congressional hearing Wednesday, May 14.

This requirement is a list of plans due last April 25, said lawyer Karen Jimeno, who represented Lacson during the hearing.

The government will use these plans to craft a master rehabilitation plan after Yolanda, which itself has been delayed because of too much bureaucracy. (READ: 6 months after Yolanda: ‘We are failing’)

Jimeno said the livelihood cluster is headed by Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, and includes agencies such as the following:

• Department of Labor and Employment;
• Department of Tourism;
• Department of Agriculture;
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
• Department of Agrarian Reform;
• Department of Science and Technology; and
• Department of Social Welfare and Development

The support cluster, on the other hand, is headed by Budget Secretary Butch Abad and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. It includes agencies such as the following:

• Department of Foreign Affairs;
• Department of Finance;
• Department of Justice;
• Department of Social Welfare and Development;
• Department of Public Works and Highways;
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources; and
• Department of the Interior and Local Government

No ‘sense of urgency’

Only the infrastructure cluster, headed by Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, met the deadline last April 25.

The social services cluster under Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman submitted its plans May 9.

The resettlement cluster – which is led by Vice President Jejomar Binay in his position as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council – filed this requirement Tuesday, May 13.

Jimeno pointed out, however, that this doesn’t necessarily mean that the cluster heads concerned – Domingo, Abad, and Balisacan – have been uncooperative with Lacson.

“Hindi necessarily silang tatlo ‘yung uncooperative government agency, Cabinet secretary, kasi puwedeng mga members nila ‘yung uncooperative kaya hindi makapag-submit ‘yung buong cluster nila,” Jimeno said in an interview after the hearing.

(The 3 aren’t necessarily the uncooperative government agencies, Cabinet secretaries, because it could be that their members are uncooperative, so their whole cluster couldn’t submit.)

Jimeno disclosed these as Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, chair of the joint congressional oversight committee on public expenditures, complained about agencies that lack a “sense of urgency.”

Escudero asked Jimeno about Lacson’s recent revelation – that up to 3 Cabinet secretaries have been “incorrigibly uncooperative” in rehabilitation efforts.

Jimeno said Lacson has not named these secretaries even in front of his staff, and even she employs her own “process of elimination.”

“But I think this is something that will eventually come out based on who’s not submitting,” she said during the hearing. – Rappler.com