HOUSE Disaster Resilience Chairperson Rep. Alan 1 B. Ecleo called on fellow members of Congress to ‘speed up’ the passing of urgent reforms to disaster-related bills, following the devastation of Typhoon Carina to many parts of the country, including Metro Manila.
“As our situation develops, we look forward to increased support from our fellow legislators in enacting more laws promoting disaster resilience, under the leadership of our Speaker, Rep. Martin Romualdez and President Marcos,” said Ecleo.
These proposed laws include House Bill 10233, empowering the President and/or Local Chief Executives to declare a State of Imminent Disaster, which Ecleo filed last May 2023.
“This will allow the National and Local Governments to access funds even before the declaration of a state of calamity,” said Ecleo. “It will also provide for institutionalized pre-disaster response mechanisms such as prepositioning of goods and resources, preemptive evacuation and other anticipatory action measures at the local level.”
Ecleo also urged members of both Houses of Congress to pass HB 10422, amending the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Law, which among others would extend the period within which LGUs can access funds for relief, recovery, and reconstruction from two years to three years.
“The reforms in HB10422 are borne out of our first-hand experience with Typhoon Odette in 2021 and Speaker Martin Romualdez’s first-hand experience with Typhoon Yolanda in 2013,” said Ecleo. “Now that once again, many Filipinos have come face-to-face with the reality of worsening calamities, we need to unite and legislate solutions.”
Ecleo stressed the need to secure emergency food and shelter during times of crises such as Carina, encouraging fellow House Representatives to support HB 06522, establishing Calamity Food Banks in every province in the Philippines, and HB 07354, establishing Evacuation Centers in every City and Municipality In The Philippines.
“Aside from ensuring safety through constructing more Evacuation Centers, Calamity Food Banks stocked with locally produced food products will ensure that those impacted by disasters will not starve,” said Ecleo.
Ecleo also recently filed HB10464, amending the Price Act to freeze the prices of construction materials during times of disaster and emergencies. “Now is the time to protect the welfare of those who will be spending the next weeks rebuilding their homes and their lives from this disaster? We must do our part.”
