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[av_heading heading=’Gordon hopes for better disaster response ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
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MANILA – Has the Philippines learned from its experience during super typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013? Sen. Richard Gordon hopes so.
Today the country marks the third anniversary of the super typhoon that killed more than 6,000 in the Visayas.
“I hope our country has strengthened its disaster response and management capability. Not only the government, but all of us,” Gordon said.
The government should strive to make “ceaseless recovery” and “renewal” available to all survivors, the senator said.
“Our country is hit by a plethora of disasters,” said Gordon. “If we don’t change our attitude, if we haven’t learned from ‘Yolanda,’ tatamad-tamad tayo, nandiyan na iyong malakas na bagyo, hindi pa rin tayo lumilikas sa mas ligtas na lugar, mauulit nang mauulit ang nangyari sa ‘Yolanda.’”
He added: “We have seen the tragedy magnified by lack of preparedness, the difficulties we faced just to provide assistance. We should learn from them.”
Meanwhile Gordon said the Philippine Red Cross, which he also leads as chairman, has almost completed its rehabilitation programs in “Yolanda”-hit provinces.
As of Oct. 28 this year the Red Cross has erected over 76,000 houses for survivors in Eastern, Central and Western Visayas, and Palawan.
It has also provided P752 million worth of livelihood assistance to more than 60,000 families; P188 million for the repair of damaged health facilities and classrooms; and P58.2 million for the provision of safe water and sanitation facilities.
“Our ‘Yolanda’ operations would not have been successful without the generous contributions of our partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and our private partners,” said Gordon.
“Because of the massive destruction caused by ‘Yolanda,’ there was also a massive outpouring of support that came to us and enabled us to alleviate the suffering and restore the life and dignity” of the survivors, he said./PN
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