MANILA – The task force in charge of rehabilitating typhoon-hit areas will be headed by the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Malacañang said Wednesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu and DPWH Secretary Mark Villar will be heading the task force. He earlier said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will be task force chair.
“Nabago na po iyong Executive Order (The Executive Order changed). Actually, when I announced it, the Executive Order had not yet been signed. But it has since been modified and it is now jointly headed by the DENR Secretary, as well as the DPWH Secretary. So hindi na po head ng task force si Executive Secretary (So the Executive Secretary will no longer be head of the task force),” he said in an interview over CNN Philippines’ The Source.
He said the changes to the executive order, which is currently being drafted, was “based on science”.
“Of course, not only it is based in science but it is also to make sense because when we talk of rehabilitation, you talk basically of roads and bridges and buildings destroyed by a calamity which is the turf of the DPWH; and you also talk about the scientific reasons why we have typhoons of this nature which is climate change, and that is the rationale of the DENR co-heading the task force,” he added.
Roque, meanwhile, confirmed that Duterte has officially placed the entire Luzon under state of calamity.
In a taped speech aired Tuesday night, Duterte said he signed the declaration on Monday.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier recommended to the President to place the entire Luzon under a state of calamity.
Under a state of calamity, rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including any international humanitarian assistance will be hastened.
“The local governments can now spend their calamity funds without restrictions ‘no. So importante po iyan dahil, otherwise, magkakaroon ng (So that’s important because, otherwise, there will be) red tape in the release of these calamity funds,” Roque said.
The declaration of a state of calamity also effectively controls the prices of basic goods and commodities in the affected areas.
“There’s an automatic price freeze upon a declaration of a state of calamity. So magkakaroon po tayo ng mga (So we will have) price control on basic goods and commodities, lalung-lalo na po sa pagkain at sa tubig (especially food and water),” he added.
Successive Typhoons Quinta and Ulysses and Super Typhoon Rolly caused billions worth of damages in agriculture and infrastructure.
The death toll due to Typhoon Ulysses, the most recent typhoon to hit the country, has reached nearly 70 and thousands have been displaced. (PNA)
