Disaster Preparedness

Bam on Grace Poe and RESCYouth Act (Interview after Hearing)

On Grace Poe as Possible 2016 LP candidate

 

Right now, dumadaan din sa proseso ang partido. The President has also said na very soon, the party will decide on who the standard bearer will be.

 

I think it’s just right na kausapin ang iba’t ibang tao. Kailangan lang sigurong antabayanan kung ano ang magiging desisyon.

 

As party member, of course, we look at the different processes na kailangan. Very soon. Sooner than you think, lalabas na rin ang final decision of the party.  Ang hanap natin ay iyong best for the country. Ang mahalaga riyan, kung sino ang magpapatuloy ng reporma.

 

Sisiguraduhin na hindi tayo babalik sa napakaraming corruption in the past. We just really need to look at the options and all the alternatives.  Very soon, once this is decided, we can really start moving forward already.

First of all, I think Secretary Mar Roxas is still the presumptive candidate of the party. But palagay ko mahalaga rin na i-explore ang lahat ng possibilities, kasi kung tutuusin may proseso naman iyan, and even sa senatorial slate, all the positions I think, will have to go through the process also.

Ngayon, it’s time to really go and ask all of these people who want to run kung ano ba talaga ang mga plano nila. What do they really want for the country?

 

I think we’re too focused sa personalities. I think ang mahalaga, alamin natin kung ano ba talaga ang mga plano nila para sa ating sa bansa.

 

I don’t think that we’re asking that question. Ano ba ang gusto nilang gawin para sa bansa? Ano ba ang reporma na gusto nilang itulak? Palagay ko, iyon ang kailangang malaman, hindi lang ng partido, ‘di lang ng presidente kundi pati ng taumbayan.

 

We’re less than a year from the elections, people aren’t even asking kung ano ba ang plataporma ng mga presidentiables na ito. Palagay ko mahalaga na malaman natin kung ano ba ang gusto nilang gawin sa bayan at doon tayo magdesisyon.

 

Q: Bakit presumptive candidate si Roxas?

 

The process is still ongoing. So that’s why it’s still presumptive at wala pang final decision ang partido. Of course, he’s someone who I think has been talked about for a long time, obviously, he’s part of that very short list.

 

Q: Hindi pa ba sapat na itapat siya ng partido kay Binay?

 

Palagay ko, ang sagot sa tanong na iyan, mare-resolve iyan in a couple of weeks. The party is still undergoing this process at kapag nakapagdesisyon na talaga ang partido, malalaman natin kung sino ba talaga ang lalaban sa kung kanino.

 

At this point, it’s all speculation. I think ang taumbayan natin, need to start asking the question, ano ba ang repormang gusto nating maitulak, ano ba ang gusto nating baguhin at sino ba ang magpapatupad noon?

 

We’re not asking those questions enough. Sayang naman ang pagkakataon natin  na tanungin iyong mga tanong na iyon.

 

Kasi kung puro Binay ba, si Grace Poe ba o si Mar Roxas ba, tanungin natin kung ano ba ang madadala nila sa ating bayan. Ano ba ang kaya nilang gawin para sa Pilipino?

 

If we start having that discussion, mas magiging mayaman ang diskusyon natin.  Iyon ang palagay ko na mas mahalagang tanong.

 

On inclusion of NYC Commissioner to the NDRRMC

 

We’re hoping na mapasa natin ang RESCYouth Act as soon as possible. Marami na ring activities ang mga kabataan pagdating sa disaster preparedness.

 

Palagay ko naman, there will be little or no opposition to this bill so we’re hoping that we can have this passed soon.

 

Tamang tama na malapit na rin ang rainy season, so palagay ko if we can get this bill passed, we can already include the youth sa planning processes natin sa mga iba’t ibang councils.

 

Kung mapapansin mo ang bill na isinusulong natin, we are adding a representative of the youth in every council sa national and local levels.

 

Ang mga kabataan, very active na sila. Sila rin iyong no. 1 volunteer, sila ang unang-unang pumupunta kapag may rescue, unang-unang kasama sa rehabilitation. Nakita naman natin na kahit sa disaster preparedness, kasama rin sila.

 

Kaya it’s really time na ilagay rin ang mga kabataan sa ranggo ng nagpaplano ng disaster management.

 

All of the resource speakers, I think, supported the bill, even DILG, the local governments that were here, ang Climate Change Commission and of course, the National Youth Commission.

 

I’m hoping that we can pass this bill as soon as possible and magawa na natin iyong probisyon na ang mga kabataan ay mayroong espasyo sa mga council natin na may kinalaman sa disaster management.

 

Sa national will be the chairman of the NYC. On the local level, it will be chosen by the local government units.

 

Right now, ang mga different LGUs natin, katrabaho nila ang mga kabataan but usually as volunteers. We want to raise that participation, gawin nating kasama sa planning process.

Sen. Bam Eyes Best Practices to Prepare for Calamities, Disasters

With the improved performance of government, private sector and non-government organizations in preparation for super typhoon Ruby, a lawmaker wants to institutionalize best practices and effective tools to ensure readiness for future calamities and disasters.

“We should be learning not only from our mistakes but also from a job well done. We must do it by institutionalizing the best practices and tools implemented by government, LGUs and private sector to prepare for future disasters,” Aquino said.

A lawmaker is calling for an inquiry to assess the impact of government’s action to determine best practices and effective tools used in mitigating the effects of super typhoon Ruby to ensure readiness for future calamities and disasters.

In his Senate Resolution 1063, Senator Bam Aquino stressed the need to assess the impact of government’s actions to determine best practices and effective tools used in the disaster risk and reduction programs of local government units (LGUs).

“The country’s experience with typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) has become key opportunities for learning and for improving disaster preparedness coordination, strategies and practices,” Aquino explained.

“Despite the Filipinos’ vulnerability to typhoons, these experiences demonstrate how the government together with the private sector and the communities stricken by calamities can effectively prepare for and mitigate the adverse effects of disasters,” the senator added.

The inquiry will look into the enhanced inter-agency coordination mechanisms of the national government and the pro-active response of LGUs and private sector on disaster preparedness and mitigation in the country.

“The national government should also be able to identify the appropriate and useful strategies for inter-agency coordination in building community awareness, disaster preparedness planning, and ensuring quick response to help ensure readiness of communities for future disasters,” he added.

Aquino noted that proper coordination among national government agencies, LGUs and private sector contributed to the notable decrease in the number of casualties and loss of property compared to last year’s typhoon Yolanda.

As of latest count, Typhoon Ruby claimed 19 lives and damaged more than P3 billion worth of properties. Typhoon Yolanda, for its part, killed 6,092 people and damaged P36.62 billion worth of properties.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNIDSDR) was impressed with the Philippines’ preparations for typhoon Ruby, which involved the pre-emptive evacuation of at least one million Filipinos in the typhoon’s path.

In addition, the ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh commended the country “for its early warning efforts and disaster preparedness plans, which mitigated losses and damages.”

RESCYouth to Boost DRR Knowledge Among Youth

In an effort to educate and equip the youth with the proper knowledge in disaster risk reduction (DRR), the Office of Senator Bam Aquino has organized a consultation and design thinking workshop that will be held in Balamban, Cebu from Nov. 6-7.

Dubbed as “RESCYouth: Responsive, Empowered and Service-Centered Youth,” the two-day workshop will be held at the RAFI Kool Adventure Camp.

“As observed in the past, the youth sector is always at the forefront of relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation during disasters such as the Cebu earthquake and typhoon Yolanda,” said Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.

“The manpower and innovative ideas they share with communities help contribute to the fast and efficient emergency relief operations, making them a key partner in disaster management,” the senator added.

Around 100 youth organizations from different parts of the country and have existing DRR programs and projects are expected to attend the workshop.

During the workshop, youth organizations will have an active exchange of ideas regarding best DRR practices, leading to the creation of new schemes that will enhance present DRR management program in different areas of the country.

“As we remember the victims and survivors of Yolanda this week, we need to equip our young people with tool and skills to better prepare and respond for disasters,” Aquino added.

The workshop is also aimed at equipping participants with DRR knowledge and information that they can share to their respective communities.

Aside from Senator Aquino, other speakers during the workshop are Mayor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier of Javier, Leyte, Gawad Kalinga’s Mark Lawrence Cruz and Mario Urrutia III of Reporter’s Notebook, GMA7.

GMA-7’s resident meteorologist Nathaniel Cruz, Hapinoy Executive Director TJ Agulto and Zak Yuson of Rappler’s MovePH are also expected to impart their knowledge and experience during the workshop.

The speakers will discuss different topics, ranging from best practices of local government units (LGUs) during disasters, tapping the spirit of volunteerism during relief and rescue operations and the role of media as information dissemination arm.

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