Recto wants to itemize next year’s P37-billion calamity fund

Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto has called for the item­ization of Yolanda reconstruc­tion projects in next year’s proposed P37.2 billion Ca­lamity Fund “in order to com­plete all rehabilitation work by end of 2017.”

“There is still much work to be done in Eastern Visayas but the Calamity Fund is silent on the rehabilitation deficit, which must be funded,” Rec­to said.

Recto noted that next year’s P37.2 billion Nation­al Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, or NDRRMF, which is the Calam­ity Fund’s official name, “does not earmark any amount for Yolanda rehabilitation despite the huge backlog in delivera­bles.”

This is in contrast to the provision in this year’s NDRRMF which specifical­ly sets aside P18.9 billion for the rehabilitation of Yolan­da-damaged public works, livelihood and farms.

The absence of a “Yolan­da earmark’ in next year’s NDRRMF, Recto warned, “might be misinterpreted that government has ceased funding the repair of public properties” destroyed by the strongest typhoon in record­ed history.

“If reconstruction is still a work in progress, then such must be reflected in the Calamity Fund to reassure Yolanda victims that what government had promised will be still be redeemed, “ Recto said.

Recto said “even a gener­al provision that this amount will be allocated for Yolanda work will be sufficient as long as the recipient agencies and the amounts they will get are specified.”

“By listing these, work will be assigned and the pub­lic can easily monitor what re­sponsibilities have been given to which agencies,” Recto said.

The idea, he said, is to fin­ish all work one year from now so that when Yolanda’s fourth anniversary will be marked next November, “government can proudly proclaim ‘Mission accomplished!’”

Among projects which have not yet been finished, or worse, started, are about 175,467 housing units, 7,233 classrooms, 95 communal irrigation systems, and 11 flood control structures, Rec­to said, citing an October 31 Neda update.

This, as Recto called for a “last quarter rally” that will step up the utilization of the P18.9 billion earmarked for Yolanda-related projects in the P38.9 billion Calamity Fund for 2016.