Press Release
July 10, 2014

Transcript of Senator Bam Aquino's interview after
hearing on Community Disaster Warehouse Bill

Ang pinaka-idea po ng bill na ito ay may naka-set up nang mga warehouses or emergency warehouses kapag panahon ng delubyo para hindi nauubusan ng goods ang taumbayan.

Ang unang bugso po niyan ay relief goods pero pagkatapos niyan, kapag recovery time na, these are goods that people really want to buy.

Nakita po natin na in many areas na kung walang tulong mula sa supply chain o retail outlets, nagtataasan po ang presyo ng bilihin and that's something we want to combat.

This bill, which actually started with Cong. Montejo of An Waray, a party list of that area, of Leyte and Samar in particular. Ang pinaka-goal talaga niya ay make sure na hindi tataas ang presyo ng bilihin at laging may supply.

Maganda naman ang discussions dito na baka we can utilize the public sector, partnerships with supermarkets, ways to make sure that itong supply chain natin, kapag nagkakadelubyo, hindi talaga ito nasisira o hindi masyadong malala ang epekto sa kanya para hindi tumaas ang mga presyo ng bilihin sa mga areas affected.

Q: Ang target sites ba ng warehouses natin ay puro calamity-prone areas?

Too early to tell. In fact, we still have to conduct more hearings and a technical working group. Of course, you can put up physical warehouses pero mahal din iyon. Ang calamity kasi, ang nature of that it's an emergency. Let's say for a particular area, nag-set-up ka ng warehouse, and the whole year wala namang delubyong nangyari, masasayang lang ang pera and it becomes an expensive endeavor.

One of the suggestions earlier was to utilize your large supermarkets as a de facto warehouse. Kumbaga, kapag tinawag na ang calamity, then they will convert their operations into providing relief goods or providing goods which can be sold at discounted prices.

I think that was one suggestion na medyo innovative ng konti at puwede nating tingnan pa. But to be very frank, marami pa itong pag-aaral na kinakailangan but I think the intention nito na masiguro na hindi na mag-aakyatan pa ang presyo ng bilihin sa calamity-hit areas, I think is something we want to address at the soonest possible time.

Q: Issue of security ng warehouses?

Talagang lumabas ang need for security and I think that's something that's not yet found in the bill. Nasa committee level pa lang tayo at magbabago pa itong bill natin. We need to put provisions regarding security. Siguraduhin natin na iyong sini-secure, hindi lang si mayor, hindi lang iyong city hall pati rin ang mahahalagang area sa lugar, like water installation, powerplants, iyong mga pinagkukunan ng goods and supplies.

All of these are also very important na kailangang bigyan ng security kaagad during a calamity because if these areas are nasira or looted, malaki talaga ang negative effect nito sa area at mahihirapan silang makaahon.

I'm hoping that this bill will also be able to affect the procedures done during calamities. Maapektuhan rin iyan and ma-improve natin para we can learn from what has happened to us and we can come up with better systems for our people.

Q: Optimism sa bill na ito?

Sa totoo lang, beginning stage pa tayo. This is just the first hearing and we have to go through some revisions. In fairness, some of the ideas raised today were really good ideas so kailangang ma-incorporate pa iyan. I think the Senate and the Congress, and eventually the President will have to sign this into law. Everyone is focused and very serious about making sure that when calamities hit, we're more prepared and more ready to address this problem.

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