POE TEAM SENDS RELIEF GOODS TO CAGAYAN VALLEY

Sen. Grace Poe organized a team of volunteers to pack and send relief goods to survivors in Cagayan Valley, one of the hardest-hit regions by Typhoon Ulysses (Inorganisa ni Sen. Grace Poe ang kanyang team ng mga volunteer na mag-impake at magdala ng mga relief good sa mga biktima ng baha sa Cagayan Valley, isa sa pinakamatinding hinagupit ng bagyong Ulysses).

"We need to extend as much help as we can now because this is the most critical time for survivors of the calamity. Every donation that reaches them sends the message that they have not been forgotten and that help is on its way (Kailangang maibigay natin ang lahat ng tulong ngayon dahil ito ang pinakakritikal na oras sa mga nakaligtas sa kalamidad. Bawat donasyon na nakakarating sa kanila ay naghahatid ng mensahe na hindi sila kinalilimutan),"said Poe.

Cagayan Valley, home of the 4,100-sq-km Magat Dam, became a catch basin as water from provinces affected by Typhoon Ulysses flowed into the dam and left the operators in a bind. Aerial photos of Cagayan Valley left the area unrecognizable in what has been described as the worst flood to hit the region in 40 years (Naging catch basin ang Cagayan Valley, tahanan ng 4,100-sq-km na Magat Dam, ng rumaragasang tubig mula sa mga lalawigan na apektado ng bagyong Ulysses na dumaloy sa dam. Sa mga aerial photo ng Cagayan Valley, halos hindi na ito makilala dahil sa itinuturing na pinakamatinding pagbahang naranasan ng rehiyon sa loob ng 40 taon).

Volunteers from Poe's office distributed bags filled with rice, sardines, vitamins, and calamansi juice in Ilagan City and the Municipality of Tumauini in Isabela, as well as the far reaches of Tuguegarao City. The donations were made through Panday Bayanihan, a nongovernment organization established in 2013 when Typhoon Maring affected 2.5 million people and displaced 800,000 residents (Namahagi ang mga volunteer ni Poe ng mga bag na naglalaman ng bigas, sardinas, bitamina at calamansi juice sa Ilagan City at Munisipalidad ng Tumauini sa Isabela kabilang ang Tuguegarao City. Nangyari ang donasyon sa pamamagitan ng Panday Bayanihan, isang nongovernment organization na itinayo noong 2013 nang manalasa ang bagyong Maring kung saan naapektuhan ang mahigit 2.5 milyong Filipino at nawalan ng tahanan ang mahigit 800,000 residente).

"Rebuilding and recovering is no longer enough, we need to be resilient. This will not be the last nor the worst calamity that would sweep its way through the country, so we have to work on becoming more prepared by taking a long-term approach and building communities that are more resilient to the effects of climate change (Hindi sapat ang muling pagsasaayos at pagbangon, kailangan nating maging matatag. Hindi ito ang magiging huli o pinakamatinding kalamidad na dadaan sa ating bansa, kaya't kailangan nating kumilos upang maging handa sa pangmatagalang pamamaraan at paglikha ng komunidad na maging resilient sa epekto ng climate change)," asserted Poe.

Poe recently filed Senate Bill No.124 or the proposed "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System Act" that enables local government units to go beyond recovery and build communities that are resilient to calamities. It also seeks greater accountability by appointing a department secretary to the Department of Disaster Resilience and Emergency Assistance and Management that will be established, should the bill be passed into law (Kamakailan inihain ni Poe ang Senate Bill No. 124 o ang panukalang "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System Act" na magpapalakas sa pamahalaang lokal para makabuo sila ng mga komunidad na nakasasalag sa mga kalamidad. Layunin nitong magkaroon ng mas malawak na accountability sa pamamagitan ng pagtatalaga ng kalihim ng Department of Disaster Resilience and Emergency Assistance and Management na bubuuin).

"Previously, there were already calls to action, proposed initiatives and legislations that sought to help us prepare for the effects of climate change. Today, we consider them our 'what if'. I hope that this doesn't become another 'what if' when the next calamity strikes (Naunang may mga panawagan, panukalang inisyatiba at lehislasyon upang tulungan tayo na maghanda sa epekto ng climate change. Ngayon, ikinokonsidera natin "what if." Umaasa akong hindi ito magiging "what if" kapag dumaan ang susunod na kalamidad)," said Poe.