DILG: P1.5-B released to aid typhoon-hit LGUs

More than a billion pesos was released to aid localities hard-hit by recent strong typhoons, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Saturday.

“Dahil nga po sa deklarasyon ng state of calamity ay nailabas na po ang SARO (Special Allotment Release Order) at NCA (Notice of Cash Allocation) amounting to P1.5 billion para sa mga LGU (local government units) na lubhang tinamaan ng sunod-sunod na bagyo natin karamihan dito ay nasa Regions V, IV-A, IV-B, at kasama na rin po ang Region II," Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said during the state-run PTV’s Laging Hand briefing.

“Sa ibang LGUs na apektado ng kalamidad meron din pong augmentation na ibinigay ang DBM (Department of Budget and Management) kaya meron tayong total na P16 billion dahil may naiwan na P6 billion at merong supplemental na P10 billion... so dito po kukunin ‘yung ibibigay sa mga select LGUs na lubhang nasalanta ng bagyo,” Malaya added.

The DILG official said that other LGUs affected by calamities can request funding from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) through the Office of Civil Defense.

Crackdown on illegal logging, mining

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año also ordered a crackdown on illegal logging and mining in parts of the country devastated by “widespread, unprecedented flooding,” Malaya said.

"Si Secretary Año po ay nagbigay ng kautusan kay General Debold Sinas, ang pinuno ng Philippine National Police na mag-crackdown sa lahat ng uri ng illegal logging at mga illegal mining sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng bagyo partikular sa Cagayan, Isabela kahit na po sa Kabikulan,” he said.

“In addition doon sa war on drugs, war on criminality kasama sa priorities ng ating PNP ay ang war on illegal logging,” he added.

The DILG would meanwhile launch a nationwide tree-planting program next year.

"'Yung pagpapalakas sa national tree planting natin ang goal po nito ay makapagtanim ng 200 million trees at ang target po ni Año na masimulan ito next year,” Malaya said.

“Maglalabas ng memorandum circulars para hikayatin ang malawakang tree planting in support of the national greening program mula sa barangay at pinakamataaas na antas," he said. — DVM, GMA News