Cayetano: Use 4Ps to help disaster victims

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday said the government should be able to use existing programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to extend immediate aid to families who have lost their properties and livelihoods as a result of disasters.

"Dapat pwede nating magamit yung 4Ps para matulungang makabangon ang mga pamilyang apektado ng mga kalamidad, we should be able to enroll families into the program in times of disasters," Cayetano said.

The senator made the statement in the aftermath of the 7-magnitude earthquake that hit Northern Luzon on July 27, 2022 and killed at least five persons and injured scores of others. The quake also left an estimated P33.8 billion in damages.

Earlier this month, Cayetano filed Senate Bill No. 302 or the 4Ps for Disaster Victims Act which proposes a "1-2-3 Assistance for Disaster Victims" centered around the anti-poverty cash disbursement program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The proposed law requires the DSWD to provide immediate financial assistance to disaster victims and then assess affected individuals within 15 to 30 days of the calamity for enrollment into the 4Ps.

Individuals who are not rendered poor by a disaster will be put on the 4Ps for a year, while individuals rendered poor by the disaster are entitled to a longer period of assistance.

Floating hospitals Cayetano also mentioned the need to address the lack of access to proper medical care during widespread calamities, such as in the aftermath of previous supertyphoons that damaged hospitals and crippled power and communication infrastructure.

"We need to be able to treat the injured and provide immediate medical care kahit sobrang widespread ng disaster. That's why we're calling for floating hospitals na pwedeng ma-deploy saan man sa Pilipinas," the senator said.

Included among Cayetano's 20 priority bills, Senate Bill No. 305 or the Floating Hospitals Act seeks to establish at least three floating hospitals -- one each under the command of the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-MG).

The floating hospitals will provide primary up to tertiary-level medical services and will be deployed to areas severely affected by disasters. They may also be prepositioned in cases of disasters like typhoons that can be foreseen.

"Now na nasa agenda na natin y'ung Department of Disaster Resilience, let's also consider beefing up y'ung capacity ng pamahalaan na tulungan ang mga affected families in a sustained manner, and get medical help where it's needed sa ganitong mga sitwasyon," Cayetano said.

Cayetano: Gamitin na ang 4Ps bilang tulong sa mga biktima ng kalamidad

Para kay Senador Alan Peter Cayetano, dapat magamit ng gobyerno ang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) para maghatid ng agarang tulong sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng ari-arian at kabuhayan dahil sa mga kalamidad.

"Dapat pwede nating magamit yung 4Ps para matulungang makabangon ang mga pamilyang apektado ng mga kalamidad, we should be able to enroll families into the program in times of disasters," ani Cayetano nitong Biyernes, July 29, 2022.

Iminungkahi ito ng senador matapos tamaan ng isang 7-magnitude na lindol ang hilagang Luzon noong July 27, 2022 na nag-iwan ng di-bababa sa lima kataong patay at daan-daang iba pang sugatan. Nag-iwan din ang naturang lindol ng danyos na tinatayang aabot ng P33.8 bilyon.

Nauna nang inihain ni Cayetano ang Senate Bill No. 302 o ang 4Ps for Disaster Victims Act na nagpapanukalang magbigay ng "1-2-3 Assistance for Disaster Victims" na nakaangkla sa pangunahing programang pang-ayuda ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Sa ilalim ng panukalang ito, kailangan magbigay ng agarang ayudang pinansyal ang DSWD sa mga indibidwal na apektado ng kalamidad, at ma-assess ang mga ito mula 15 hanggang 30 araw pagkatapos ng kalamidad para maisali sa programang 4Ps.

Ang mga indibidwal na hindi maituturing na mahirap matapos ang isang kalamidad ay isasali at makikinabang sa 4Ps sa loob ng isang taon.

Samantala, ang mga indibidwal na naging mahirap dahil sa isang kalamidad ay mas matagal na makakakuha ng ayuda.

Mga floating hospital Binanggit din ni Cayetano ang pangangailangan na tugunan ang kawalan ng maayos na mga pasilidad at serbisyong medikal sa tuwing may malawakang kalamidad, katulad na lamang ng nakaraang mga supertyphoon na sumira sa mga ospital at nagpatumba sa mga linya ng kuryente at komunikasyon.

"We need to be able to treat the injured and provide immediate medical care kahit sobrang widespread ng disaster. That's why we're calling for floating hospitals na pwedeng ma-deploy saan man sa Pilipinas," ayon sa senador.

Kasali sa 20 priority bills ni Cayetano, ang Senate Bill No. 305 o ang Floating Hospitals Act ay naglalayong magtatag ng di-bababa sa tatlong floating hospital -- tig-isa sa ilalim ng command ng Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, at ng Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-MG).

Magbibigay ng primary hanggang tertiary-level na serbisyong medikal ang mga floating hospital at ide-deploy ang mga ito sa mga lugar na lubhang apektado ng mga kalamidad. Maaari din silang i-preposition sakaling may paparating na bagyo o iba pang kalamidad na maaaring i-forecast.

"Now na nasa agenda na natin y'ung Department of Disaster Resilience, let's also consider beefing up y'ung capacity ng pamahalaan na tulungan ang mga affected families in a sustained manner, and get medical help where it's needed sa ganitong mga sitwasyon," ani Cayetano.