DPWH: Rebuilding typhoon-hit areas must come with forest restoration

Rehabilitating communities destroyed by the series of typhoons must go hand-in-hand with restoring the forests, which were observed to have contributed to the flooding in many parts of Luzon.

“Pag dating sa flood control wala namang isang solution, kailangan sabay-sabay. Kailangan kasi ‘yung cost naman hindi lang ‘yung infrastracture, pati ‘yung deforestation, pati ‘yung encroachment sa mga water ways so kailangan lahat po 'yan aayusin sabay-sabay,” Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

“Kami gagawa kami ng structures pero dapat kasama rin ‘yung mas magandang urban planning at dapat kasama rin ‘yung environmental at dapat may re-planting tayo sa mga bundok. May protocol tayo para… mas maging ready ang ating mga constituents kung maglalabas ng tubig ang ating mga dam,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week created the Build Back Better Task Force to speed up the rehabilitation of typhoon-ravaged areas, especially in Luzon provinces. It is headed by the DPWH and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Villar said the task force is coordinating with local government units for better communication.

“At kami naman po sa infrastracture makikipag-coordinate din kami sa mga LGUs para malaman din namin kung ano po ‘yung mga infrastractures na na-damage. Syempre nakatutok kami sa national roads pero marami pa rin mga local bridges, siguro kailangan rin nila ng tulong,” he said

The secretary said this will allow for a faster decision-making process.

“Ang kagandahan po ng task force, lahat po ng secretaries nag-uusap at pag may mga problema, may regular reporting, makakapag-discuss kami on the spot,” Villar said.

“So parang ginawa natin sa Boracay, pag whole-of-government approach lahat involved, lahat ng secretaries, mas mabilis ang decision making process,” he added.

Under the president’s Executive Order 120, the task force shall serve as the overall body to ensure whole-of-government implementation and monitoring of post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

It must also strengthen the institutional knowledge and expertise of the local government units on disaster recovery and rehabilitation and build safer sites for housing as well as restore or expand economic activities in typhoon-hit areas.

The body must also ensure the availability and adequacy of key lifelines such as basic needs, medical services, electricity, water, telecommunications, and transportation that can be mobilized immediately after the typhoon.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News