Gordon wants early recovery plan for Odette-hit provinces

Senator Richard Gordon on Monday called for the creation of an early recovery plan for the provinces hard-hit by Typhoon Odette.

“I have a resolution that is asking the Senate right away na magkaroon tayo ng appeal sa government agencies, national and local, na bigyan nating ng early recover [plan] halimbawa sa Siargao, sa Bohol at sa Cebu… So kailangan nila makabangon, bangon ang bahay bangon din ang livelihood,” Gordon said in a privilege speech.

(I have a resolution that is asking the Senate right away to appeal to the government agencies, national and local, to craft an early recovery plan, for example in Siargao, Bohol, and Cebu. So we need to build back their houses and also their livelihood.)

“The resolution calls for an initiation immediately of the early recovery of all areas affected by Typhoon Odette or Rai… such as Bohol, Cebu, the Dinagat Islands, and Siargao, and other places like Negros Oriental to help the MSMEs and dislocated businesses and provide support in the form of loans from GOCCs and other banks… and leadership by all appropriate government agencies, in order to rekindle or re-awaken tourism, especially grassroots, back-to-nature tourism, to create livelihood, foster self-help, self-reliance, and cooperation among the people, and to jumpstart tourism activities, local economies therein, and the national economy,” he added.

In December 2021, Typhoon Odette hit several provinces in the southern Philippines.

As of December 31, 2021, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported a total of 4,457,846 people or 1,139,148 families in around 6,000 barangays affected by the typhoon.

The most affected areas were Palawan, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte, the NDRRMC said.

The Department of Budget and Management said it released P1 billion to local government units ravaged by the typhoon, on top of the initial P1 billion released by the agency after President Rodrigo Duterte pledged to release funds from his office. — DVM, GMA News