MIRIAM WANTS CALAMITY FUND TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE

      Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago today called for measures to ensure the transparency of government spending on recovery efforts after Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

        The Senate and the House of Representatives recently approved a P12-billion supplemental budget for emergency relief operations, rehabilitation, and reconstruction works and services in areas affected by Typhoons Frank, Ondoy, and Pepeng.

        Recently, President Arroyo approved the creation of a special reconstruction commission that would raise funds and undertake long-term reconstruction of disaster-hit areas in the country.

        "The government can create a website, call it calamityfund.gov.ph, which will post breakdowns of funds spent by regions and districts, and for what purposes," Santiago said. "The website can also track the foreign aid and local donations we receive, and their releases."

        "The government must assure the public that the funds will not be lost to corruption or to the 2010 elections, but will really be spent for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts," she added.

        Santiago said the Philippine Information Agency, the official information arm of the government, should formulate resourceful and cost-effective ways to inform the public on the disbursement of the government funds for the calamities.

        "And no TV and radio infomercials please," Santiago said.

P50 million fine for erring real estate developers

        On a related note, Santiago wants to slap a P50 million fine on real estate developers who fill, cover, or block any part of a river, creek, brook, spring, lake, lagoon, swamp, marsh, and similar waterways in order to put up a housing, condominium, or leisure estate development. In addition, she wants government permits for the development to be revoked.

        Santiago's proposal comes in the form of Senate Bill No. 3483. The steep fine comes in the heels of findings that the indiscriminate sprouting of subdivisions, condominiums, and other structures in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon vastly altered the land and waterways, contributing to massive flooding in the wake of Storm Ondoy.

        "Rivers, brooks, creeks, and similar waterways act as natural canals so that excess water do not accumulate in a particular place; while marshes and swamps, act like sponges, absorbing excess water from surrounding environs," she said. "These waterways should be protected so that flooding will be prevented."