Senator Bam Aquino believes the establishment of community disaster warehouses is an effective way to combathoarding, price manipulation and inflation during calamities.

In his Senate Bill No. 2215, Aquino said community disaster warehouses would provide survivors of natural or man-made calamities quick access to affordable basic goods and other prime commodities.

“Community disaster warehouses will ensure that goods in the market would be available to avoid hoarding in affected areas and protect the survivors from price manipulation during times of crisis,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship.

“This measure is important for the days and weeks right after the calamity for communities to be able to smoothly transition to rehabilitation mode and for people to start rebuilding and normalizing their lives,” the senator added.

Aquino stressed that every community in the country must be equipped and prepared for any disaster, including the immediate availability and delivery of basic goods.

“The first few days after storms or earthquakes hit are crucial in mitigating further tragedies to individuals and families,” said Aquino.

The senator added that the measure is important with the rainy season just weeks away.

The need for community disaster warehouses was underscored after super typhoon Yolanda devastated major parts of Eastern Visayas, including Leyte and Samar.

“Yolanda survivors needed to contend with an insurmountable shortage of food, clean water, medicine and first aid, and clothing to weather the storm,” the senator said.

Photo source: Gov.ph Twitter