Revilla urges Senate to conduct inquiry to prevent massive floodings of typhoon affected areas

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. today filed PS Resolution 570 urging the appropriate Senate Committees to convene and inquire into the confluence of factors that led to the massive flooding of Luzon, with the end view of coming up with a comprehensive strategy to prevent its reoccurrence.

In a span of three weeks, five severe weather disturbances entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) which has greatly affected low-lying areas in Luzon. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council's (NDRRMC) report, Typhoon Ulysses (international name Vamco) alone has displaced a total of 1,755,224 persons which is an equivalent of 428,657 families in 4,543 barangays in the affected areas in Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, V, NCR, and CAR.

The five weather disturbances that has entered PAR, according to PAGASA, has caused Ipo, Ambuklao, Binga, and Magat dam in Luzon to reach critical water levels and has led to opening the gates of these dams. Although necessary, this decision has added to the volume of the flood in the low-lying areas near these dams.

"Alam naman nating taon-taon darating ang mga pag-ulan. Nakita na natin kung ano nangyari. Dapat, hindi na ganito sa susunod," the lawmaker explained. "We must anticipate that the dams will release water, so dapat may mga naka in-place na infrastruktura tulad ng dadaluyan ng tubig at sasalo nito, para huwag rumagasa at manalanta ng mga kabahayan," he added.

Revilla believes that a comprehensive strategy and infrastructure development for the purpose should be undertaken immediately as the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly (international name Goni) in the province of Cavite, the destruction Typhoon Ulysses has brought to Marikina, Rizal, Cagayan and alike, are lessons enough.

With the convening of the appropriate Senate Committees, Revilla hopes to aid in the legislation of necessary actions that both the national and local governments need to undertake to prevent similar disasters in the future.