Vote-rich localities that were hit by typhoon “Odette” were prioritized in relief distribution over less populated areas that also suffered severe devastation.
Partido Reporma chairman and standard bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson aired this observation on Wednesday, Dec. 29, saying that this situation could have been avoided had the relief operations been more organized and insulated from politics.
Interviewed on DZMM Teleradyo, Lacson said some politicians have prioritized helping disaster-stricken citizens in vote-rich provinces over other areas similarly devastated by the typhoon.
“Alam mo, kasi ‘pag pulitiko ‘yung nakialam, ang uunahin nilang puntahan hindi ‘yung severely or hardest-hit areas. Ang uunahin nilang puntahan ‘yung vote-rich areas, ano, kaya maraming nagpunta doon sa malalaking probinsya, ang nakaligtaan ‘yung maliliit. (You know, once politicians intervene , they will not go to severely or hardest-hit areas right away. What they will prioritize are those in vote-rich areas, that's why most of them went to the bigger provinces and smaller communities were overlooked.),” Lacson said.
The veteran lawmaker noted that residents in Limasawa Island and Maasin City, Southern Leyte appealed for immediate aid from government days after the typhoon struck.
He said this could have been avoided if the relief missions were done in an orderly manner.
“Of course, hindi natin minemenos ‘yung pangangailangan ng ibang lugar, pero kung na-organize ‘yung pagpapadala, siguro mas systematic at saka merong, ika nga, may focus—mas maganda.(Of course, we are not ignoring the needs of the victims in other places, but if the distribution of aid was more organized, more systematic, and more focused—much better.)” the presidential aspirant clarified.
`“Ang nangyari kasi ngayon nagkanya-kanya e. Walang organized na relief assistance, sabihin na nating ganoon ang nangyari, so kaya marami talagang nahirapan. ‘Yon, ‘yun ang aking pananaw tungkol dito (Because what happened was to each his own. There was no organized distribution of relief assistance, so some people were left in dire straits, that’s how I see it.),” Lacson said.
According to Lacson such situation requires a Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) from the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) to guide government in carrying out a more targeted approach in the distribuion of aid.
He said this is what he learned when he was tasked to help address a post-calamity situation by virtue of his appointment as ‘rehabilitation czar’ in the aftermath of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ back in 2013 during the administration of former President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Under Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the OCD is given at least three months to provide a comprehensive PDNA report, but while waiting for it the national government may rely on initial reports submitted by personnel from various agencies on the ground, Lacson explained.