Gov't must release Bicol rehab funds ASAP - Recto

LEGAZPI CITY - Today's scheduled signing of the national budget will pave the way for the release of the P10 billion in relief funds for Bicol and other areas hit by four powerful typhoons last year, Sen. Ralph Recto said.

Recto said the P1.126 trillion budget allocates P10 billion for the relief and rehabilitation of public works and farms devastated by storms Milenyo, Paeng, Reming, Senyang.

Dubbed Calamity Assistance and Relief Effort or CARE funds, the allocation is included in this year's Calamity Fund item in the national budget, Recto explained in a press conference during a TEAM Unity sortie in this city.

Even if bulk of activities funded by CARE cover infrastructure, "these are, however, not covered by the public works ban during the election because restoration of damaged public works are not covered by the prohibition," Recto explained.

"The Omnibus Election Code allows reconstruction in calamity areas provided work is limited to replacement of damaged infrastructure," Recto said.

It would have been an act of cruelty if relief work is suspended in Bicol on the account of elections despite the issuance of budget authority to undertake critical repairs of roads, bridges, farm infrastructure, schools, and the like, Recto said.

Pummeled by typhoons Milenyo, Reming and Senyang, Bicol's six provinces absorbed more than P100 billion in public works, housing, farm and employment losses and most of the recorded human fatalities .

"So if the budget will be signed into law today and given existing regulations exempting disaster relief from the election public works ban , then CARE funds should be released ASAP to people and LGUs who have been long waiting for this promised assistance," Recto pointed out.

In the budget bill sent by Congress to Malacanang, P10 billion in CARE funds will be used by the following agencies:

DA, for assistance to farmers, P500 million ; NIA, for irrigation repair, P500 million ; DAR, for aid to agrarian reform communities, P500 million ; NEA, for repair of power lines, P500 million; SUCs , for repair of college buildings, P400 million; DOH , for repair of hospitals, P300 million ; DPWH, P 2 billion; DSWD, P750 million.

Other agencies are: NHA, for relocation sites and housing construction, P750 million; LGUs , for repair of rural health units and other rehabilitation programs, P500 million ; DND , Office of Civil Defense, for disaster relief , P1.3 billion ; and DepED , for the repair of schoolbuildings , P2 billion .

Recto said the use of CARE funds by national agencies must be attended by transparency and consultation among local governments in the Bicol.

Recto clarified that other areas outside Bicol which were also hit by the said typhoons likewise qualify for CARE funding.