LACSON RESIGNING? His stint as rehabilitation czar was doomed to fail at Day One, because he got appointed far beyond the period of emergency. And no intervening orders were issued by the president paving the way for the physical rehabilitation of Leyte, particularly Tacloban City. The president should have immediately suspended implementation of zoning ordinances, and promulgated guidelines affecting land use. At the same time he should have certified to congress the adoption of a law supporting his action. In so doing, the president would be preparing the place for absolute land use planning by his rehabilitation czar, who would decide where to build houses, without legal objection from local politicians. By the time Lacson was appointed rehab czar, the typhoon victims had already rebuilt their houses at the same places that were inundated by the surge of Yolanda. The opportunity for planning was already overtaken by decisive action taken by the victims each of whom would be taking Lacson to court should he dictate on them where to build or rebuild their houses. And the mayors would naturally support the locals who command a decisive force to place these politicians back to power. Lacson erroneously thought that his function was limited to preventing the commission of graft in the procurement procedures. He was wrong. His position involved planning within the realm of the possible, which should have been prepared by the president right after Yolanda struck, when the people were yet concerned with the spirit of survival, instead of being concerned with the quality of life. The opportunity was missed. The ongoing rehabilitation efforts are spontaneous. Whatever action that Lacson has done so far has become irrelevant, if it is not ignored by the people who have since rebuilt their houses, hovels or shanties at the same areas that now await the destructive surge of another Yolanda. This should be a lesson to future presidents on how to handle post-disaster physical rehabilitation, as well as to sincere leaders who are asked to accept appointments to become rehab czar.
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 11:03:43 +0000