Robredo urges building of disaster-resilient infrastructure

The government should invest in building disaster -resilient infrastructure and strictly enforce the evacuation of people from danger zones in the aftermath of the mounting death toll from Tropical Depression Usman, Vice President Leni Robredo said.

Robredo made the call after she visited the wake of Usman victims in Sagñay, Camarines Sur on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Usman's death toll has reached 85 and 20 others are still missing.

OVP Photo

“Galing ako sa Sitio Igot. Nagre-retrieval [operations] pa. Mayroon silang anim pang hinahanap, pero all-in-all, 16 pa iyong nawawala; 30 na iyong patay na nakukuha," she said.

Robredo said the landslides that hit several areas were severe and buried structures.  

"Kaya siguro ang hanapin, mas permanenteng solusyon. Baka hindi na talaga puwedeng patirahan doon sa area kasi delikado na masyado,” Robredo told reporters.

The Vice President said public works engineers reported that warnings were given to families living in landslide-prone areas;  they were asked to evacuate, but did not heed the order because they did not want to leave their livelihood behind.

"Pero siguro ngayon, kailangan puwersahin na hindi na pabalikin, kasi talagang hindi worth ng buhay nila iyong pagpunta. Kaya sana mas maging...iyong enforcement ng mga danger zones na hindi papatirhan, sana mas istrikto, dahil maraming buhay iyong nabubuwis,” Robredo, who hails from Naga City, Camarines Sur, added.

Robredo said that there were parents who lost all their children to the landslide, while another couple only had two children who survived. One of those children who died was supposed to graduate from college this year.  She would have been the first in the family to earn a college degree.

“Iyong grief...lalo na kasi marami pang family members iyong nawawala, iyon na muna iyong asikasuhin, na maipalibing nang maayos. Bukas yata may mass burial. Pero kapag nag-settle down iyong lahat, mas hanapan natin ng tulong na mas permanente,” Robredo said.

Likewise, the Vice President called for well-built seawalls and flood control systems.

“Iyong proteksyon sa mga slopes, mahalaga iyon. Mas mahalaga iyon kaysa doon sa mga maliliit na mga projects na hindi far-reaching iyong effects. Kaya sana iyong pagdedesisyon ng paglalaanan ng pera ng gobyerno, iyong iniisip iyong pangmatagalan na makakatulong sa buhay ng mga residente—hindi lang iyong nakikita, pero iyong nararamdaman talaga ng lahat,” Robredo said.

Robredo said the effects of Tropical Depression Usman should serve as a "lesson" to government to beef up infrastructure, especially in areas typically hit by cyclones.

“Dapat maging lesson ito sa ating lahat, na talagang pag-isipan iyong mga infrastructure na dapat asikasuhin. Ito, hindi kasi ito kaya ng LGU lang. Kailangan nito tulong talaga ng national government, kasi malaking pera iyong kailangan, lalo na bagyuhin iyong lugar natin,” Robredo added.

Robredo's office provided cash assistance to families who lost their loved ones due to Usman while her office's anti-poverty program dubbed as Angat Buhay distributed relief packs to other Usman affected families. —LDF, GMA News