MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. on Monday urged President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to declare a state of calamity in 10 provinces and 10 cities in Eastern and Central Visayas that were ravaged by monster typhoon Yolanda. The move came after President Aquino declared a state of calamity in Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Iloilo and Negros Occidental. Marcos filed Senate Resolution 349, “expressing the Sense of the Senate Amidst the Massive Devastation and Insurmountable Loss Wrought by Super typhoon “Yolanda” in Regions 7 and 8, and urging the President to Declare a State of Calamity in these Critically Battered Areas.” The senator noted that the two Visayas regions suffered immeasurable damage, affecting about 90 percent of their areas. Central Visayas is composed of the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor; and the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue. Eastern Visayas is composed of the provinces of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte; and the cities of Ormoc, Baybay, Maasin, Calbayog, Catbalogan, Borongan, and Tacloban. Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Marcos stressed that the declaration of state of calamity is necessary because it will facilitate easy entry of foreign aid and assistance to the devastated areas. “That’s why I’m calling the President to declare a state of calamity in the two ruined regions. It’s a welcome development that that the President, according to reports, declared a state of calamity in Leyte, Cebu, Samar, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental,” the senator said in a statement. “This will facilitate the entry of international aid agencies for the much needed help,” Marcos added. Marcos also launched a massive relief operation in Tacloban City, capital of Leyte, which is one of the areas hardest hit by the super typhoon, with P 2-million worth of relief goods to be distributed to the victims. He ordered the utilization of some P 800,000 of his funds from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that will benefit more than 3,200 families. Marcos added that more than a million pesos worth of goods donated to his office by the private sector will also be sent to the affected areas. The senator is personally closely coordinating with both Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez even as he sent his staff to the city. The relief items to be distributed include food, potable water, boxes of medicines, clothes, and other provisions for basic necessities. Marcos has expressed gratitude to those who immediately responded to the needs of the victims by sharing whatever they can and to foreign governments and humanitarian missions and organizations which mobilized international aid. “Again, we have seen the compassion of our people and we should be thankful to them. But this is just the start of our humanitarian work,” he said. Marcos said the real situation can only be assessed In the next few days, or weeks, or even months. “The tragedy that befell our hapless countrymen has instantly brought us together for one noble cause. Let us not abandon them until they have fully recovered,” he said.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 22:17:09 +0000
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