Lacson: I completed my mandate as Yolanda rehab czar

As far as presidential aspirant and Senator Panfilo Lacson is concerned, he has done his mandate as rehabilitation and recovery czar following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

During the Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews aired on Saturday, Lacson explained that his mandate was only to craft a rehabilitation plan for the areas affected by Yolanda.

“Tapos na ang trabaho ko [doon]. Ang mandate ko [is] mag-craft ng comprehensive rehabilitation and recovery plan (CRRP), ginawa namin ‘yun in a record time of six months,” he said, adding that even the United Nations Development Program and other international organizations have recognized this.

(I had finished my job there. My mandate was to craft the CRRP and we did it in a record time of six months.)

He recalled that he had told then-President Benigno Aquino III that he would resign from the post as he had already completed his mandate. He, however, said implementation of the plan was not part of his mandate.

“‘Yung implementasyon wala po sa akin ‘yun. Kung saan man nag-fail ‘yung implementation, labas po ako doon kasi I can only do so much. Prepare, re-craft an 8,000-page CRRP at tsaka ‘yung pati ‘yung funding na P167 billion,” he said.

(The implementation was not part of my mandate. I should not be held accountable for the failure of the implementation. I can only do so much. Prepare, recraft an 8,000-page CRRP and the funding of P167 billion.)

“Unfortunately, one thing po nagkulang po ‘yung implementasyon, hindi ko po kasalanan ‘yun, ginawa ko po ang aking trabaho,” he added.

(Unfortunately, they failed in the implementation and that was not on me. I did my job.)

Lacson resigned from his post as rehabilitation czar in February 2015.

In 2018, Aquino had acknowledged Lacson’s work despite working with a “very little budget support.”

In September 2020, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario said over 37,000 units that were targeted to be built for Yolanda victims in Eastern Visayas have yet to completed.

Lacson’s 2022 campaign centers on good governance, anti-corruption, and budget reforms. He is running with Senate President Vicente Sotto III. —KBK, GMA News