REVILLA WANTS ASAP CHECKING OF BRIDGES, DRAINAGES

In the wake of the comeback onslaught of typhoon "Pepeng", Senator Bong Revilla urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to immediately check out damaged infrastructure, particularly bridges, and declog major drainage systems nationwide.

According to the senator, all regional directors of the DPWH should inspect all bridges and road networks in its jurisdiction to determine which ones are already damaged or on the brink of collapse. "Damaged roads and bridges certainly hamper the delivery of relief goods and the conduct of rescue operations. The DPWH must construct temporary bridges and find alternate roads to address this problem as soon as possible," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Commitee on Public Works.

Among those reportedly damaged are the Bued Bridge or 'long bridge' that connects Pangasinan and La Union, the Ambayaoan Bridge in San Nicolas, Pangasinan, the Rosario-Sison Bridge in La Union, the Quisao Bridge that connects the municipalities of Jala-jala and Pililia in Rizal, and the 3rd Concrete Bridge along Marcos Highway. Tropical Storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng have destroyed an estimated P604.715 million worth of roads and bridges in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, CAR, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Regions 4-A and 4-B, and Bicol Region.

Revilla also urged the leadership of DPWH to order a thorough declogging of major drainage facilities nationwide to suppress severe flooding brought by the series of typhoon.

The lawmaker pointed out that design, construction and maintenance of major flood control systems is among the mandate of the DPWH in accordance with the national development objectives of the government. "Flash floods occur in various parts of the country everytime there is a typhoon. A systematic declogging of major drainage facilities will prevent, if not, reduce the level of floods that cause casualty and damage to properties," he pointed out.

He also requested the public to exercise environmental discipline by refraining from throwing garbage in canals and esteros. "We should learn a lesson here. Garbage blocks the pumping stations and it eventually goes back to the residents along with the flood," Revilla added.

Revilla reiterated his appeal to Malacañang to certify as urgent his bill that seeks to decentralize disaster management strategies down to the barangay level to further address calamity problems that the country regularly faces. "We should now institutionalize disaster management in the country down to the barangay level. This would result to a more expeditious and coordinated response to calamities and disasters. This could lessen the number of casualties and damage to properties," Revilla explained.

Under Senate Bill 2013 which has already been approved by the Senate, the present National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) shall be known as the National Disaster Management Council (NDMC). Instead of the Local Government Units (LGUs) having the prerogative to create and fund Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council in its jurisdiction, the NDMC will be the one who will establish barangay-based disaster management groups which will be called as Barangay Disaster Management Councils (BDMCs). The BDMC will be funded by the annual budget of the NDMC.