Northern Mindanao || X Marshal plan sought for Iligan, CdO rehab
Marshal plan sought for Iligan, CdO rehab
Thursday, 02 February 2012 00:00
Amid an outpouring of support for victims of Typhoon Sendong (Washi) in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile urged the government to come up with a marshal plan for the two cities to ensure the optimal use of resources allot- ted for relief and rehabilitation efforts in these areas.
Enrile said a marshal plan will better facilitate and coordinate the use of funds coming from the local government, national government agencies, foreign institutions, non-government organizations, and other private donors and ensure that all priority areas are addressed.
The lawmaker noted that present relief and rehabilitation efforts in Iligan and Cagayan de Oro seem fragmented. "While we see a lot of sup- port coming from both the public and private sectors to help victims of Sendong get back on their feet, we're seeing that there is still a lot that can be done to make these efforts more integrated, more meaningful. A marshal plan for the rehabilitation of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro can be instrumental in bringing all these efforts and resources together to address all the important areas of rehabilitation and development," Enrile said.
"Having a marshal plan will also serve to assure affected residents that the government is on top of the situation and is serious in its efforts to help them recover from the dam- ages wrought by the typhoon." The lawmaker noted that a marshal plan that clearly identifies priority areas, types of intervention, source of funding support, timeline of action, and expected results will increase the effectiveness as well as the impact of assistance being channeled to the two cities that are the hardest-hit by the typhoon.
Various government agencies have extended assistance to set up shelters for typhoon- affected residents, provide basic provisions for evacuees, and restore roads, houses, livelihoods, among others.
The Asian Development Bank has approved a $3 mil- lion grant for relief and rehabilitation efforts in Typhoon Sendong-affected areas while the World Bank has extended a $500 million loan to the government at low interest to help the government respond to the calamity. It was learned that assistance also poured in from Japan, America, Australia, Russia, China, and other countries.
"There are a lot of funds that are currently available for the rehabilitation of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. And having a marshal plan will not only help officials on the ground to better allocate and use these resources to address all the vital concerns of the affected population, it will also improve the transparency and accountability over the use of these funds coming from various government agencies and donors," Enrile said.
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