By Brian Campued
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Monday assured the public that there are sufficient government funds to respond to disasters and calamities, especially with the onslaught of Typhoon Nika (international name: Toraji) as well as the threat of two other tropical cyclones outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
In an interview with reporters, PCO Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez said that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has guaranteed enough funds to cover the needs of typhoon-hit areas through the year’s end.
“Historically, as early as October, sometimes September, ‘yung calamity fund ng national at ng mga local [government] nauubos na siya, pero laging may pagkukunan ng pondo ang gobyerno at meron tayong assurance mula [sa] DBM na meron tayong sapat na pondo para sa mga susunod na kalamidad hanggang sa katapusan ng Disyembre,” Chavez said.
“May pondo tayo para sa response ng gobyerno para sa calamity,” he added.
Meanwhile, the PCO chief shared that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to assist in the prepositioning of trucks and machinery in areas that would be traversed by Nika.
“Maliwanag sa Pangulo ang kanyang instruction at inuulit niya ito sa mga government agencies… May instruction siya sa DOTr, may instruction siya sa DPWH, and attached agencies of DOTr and DPWH, ‘yung mga trucks ng mga contractors na may kontrata sa national government dapat katulong na sa prepositioning,” Chavez said.
Marcos also instructed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to immediately issue directives on the suspension of classes and work in areas to be affected by incoming typhoons, particularly when there is no announcement from the Office of the President.
Nika made landfall in the vicinity of Dilasag, Aurora at 8:10 a.m. Monday and is expected to leave the PAR by Tuesday, according to the state weather bureau.
The tropical depression outside the PAR may also enter the region by Tuesday and will be given the local name “Ofel”, while the Tropical Storm Man-Yi remains far from the PAR. (with reports from Clay Pardilla/PTV News and Alvin Baltazar/Radyo Pilipinas)
—av