Bayan Muna Rep. Eufemia Cullamat on Tuesday, Dec. 28 chided President Rodrigo Duterte for blaming a “stupid” law for the inability of government to quickly respond in aiding areas devastated by typhoon Odette.
Cullamat said Duterte’s call for the repeal of the law for the declaration of a state of calamity is a mere move to “divert or defect the blame for his administration’s incompetent and calamitous responses.” On Christmas Day, Duterte complained that the law requiring an assessment of areas affected by disaster before a state of calamity can be declared has prevented government to respond quickly to the adverse effects of typhoon Odette.
"Pres. Duterte should stop making excuses for his incompetent administration and just admit that they were unprepared as usual in dealing with calamities, like the recent SuperTyphoon Odette,” said Cullamat.
She added: “Hindi kasalanan nung batas bakit mabagal sila sa pagtugon sa kalamidad dahil as usual natutulog sila sa pansitan. (It is not the law’s fault why the response to the calamity is slow it is because they were caught sleeping)” said Cullamat.
The opposition solon said there is no need to amend the law if there is failure in preparing for disaster and in preventing the worse effects of natural or man-made disasters.
She stressed that there is indeed a need for a quick assessment of the aftermath of a calamity in order to ensure the right way of disbursing funds.
"What Pres. Duterte is suggesting is a perfect recipe for corrupt and despotic government officials to take advantage of," the lady solon said.