Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 17) – Three senatorial candidates weighed in on how the government can better address weather disasters such as the recent Tropical Storm Agaton.
Consumer rights advocate RJ Javellana said the government and the public should be organized enough to brace for disasters before they can strike.
“Hindi kinakailangang maging reactionary tayo. Kinakailangan malayo pa lang o di pa nagaganap ang problema ay nakahanda ang buong publiko, hindi lang ang gobyerno,” said Javellana on CNN Philippines’ Senatorial Forum on Sunday.
[Translation: We should not just be reactionary. The public, not just the government, should be prepared for these problems ahead of their onslaught.]
Economist Jesus Arranza noted that experts usually track the flood-prone areas or areas at risk. He said these systems should be reviewed and improved.
“I think ayusin mabuti at i-review ng mabuti ng [Department of Science and Technology] at saka ng ating ahensiya ng gobyerno upang sa ganoon maayos natin at maging friendly ang climate natin,” said Arranza in the same forum.
[Translation: I think we have to fix it thoroughly and have government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology review them so that our climate will become ‘friendlier.’]
Meanwhile, labor leader Elmer Labog said the impact of weather disasters is rooted in people’s poor living conditions.
“The best preparation for disasters is raising the poor majority from poverty — higher wages and job security for workers and land ownership for farmers,” said Labog.
He added that assistance should be distributed immediately and that government officials should be trustworthy.
“Hindi na pwede ‘yung tulog lang nang tulog or nakaw lang nang nakaw,” he added.
[Translation: We can’t have someone who is always asleep or who always steals.]
