By Katrina Gracia Consebido
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, Nov. 22, ordered disaster officials to review the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and adopt its best practices for swift response during calamities.
This, during a meeting in Malacañang where he reiterated the need to make government agencies more responsive to the needs of the people during the aftermath of a disaster or calamities.
The President earlier raised the placing of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) under the Office of the President for a swift response during calamities and cut red tape.
He also pushed for the creation of a team that will promptly work during an emergency or disaster.
“So that kind of authority and you can… basta’t pag disaster, within a day or two, hopefully within a day, pasok na sila and they’ll see what’s going on and then report back to us and start with the assessment,” Marcos said.
“And pagka they assess on the ground, they can already start calling the other agencies…‘Yun lang habol ko eh. ‘Yung mabilis, para mas mabilis,” he added.
A team composed of different government agencies including the military will go to the disaster area, make their assessment and report the situation to the President.
“And then, they will come up with a very – report, sasabihin DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] ‘we need this’… and then they will have the power… under the OP, will give them the authority,” he said.
He also noted the need for immediate repairs to damaged infrastructures.
“Nakapunta na ‘yung tao doon, nakita na eh. Nakita na may sira talaga, may damage, kailangan na gawin at ayusin. I’m just trying to parang madaliin kasi ‘pag you are in that condition sa LGU lahat urgent kasi ‘yung tao walang matitirahan, walang makain,” Marcos said. -ag
