Marcos wants bureaucratic practices stopped in aid distribution to calamity victims

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Tuesday that the bureaucratic practices in distributing relief goods to calamity victims should be stopped.

At a situation briefing in Maguindanao province, Marcos recalled his experience when tickets were being used during the distribution of relief goods to victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda, which severely hit the central Philippines in 2013.

He learned then that a ticket was needed for the victims to get assistance from the local government.

Marcos said this practice should be halted as government officials must instead guarantee that all forms of assistance will reach the victims.

"Dumadaan ako, may nakita akong nakapila. May nagbibigay ng relief goods. Sabi ko, 'Anong ginagawa niyo?' Sabi ko, nakapila... 'May hawak kaming ticket.' 'Bakit kayo may ticket?' 'Kasi 'yung binibigay ng barangay captain, kung wala kaming ticket hindi kami bibigyan ng relief goods,'" Marcos said.

(I was passing by and I saw residents who were in line to get relief goods. I asked them what were they doing. They said they need a ticket to get relief goods from the barangay captain.)

"Pinuntahan ko 'yung barangay captain. 'Bakit may ticket?' Sabi niya, 'Baka magdoble.' Eh ano kung magdoble? Bigay niyo na lahat, just give everything. Yayaman ba 'yung tao na nakadoble siya ng food pack? Hindi yayaman 'yun... That just means the family will eat for another two to three days... So 'wag na natin masyado intindihin 'yung bureaucracy. Basta paratingin natin 'yung relief... Naghihingalo 'yung tao eh, life and death sa kanila ito eh. Huwag na tayong maghintay na may ticket, huwag na tayo maghintay... Puntahan na lang natin, basta ibigay natin. Kung hindi magamit, hindi magamit... dalhin sa ibang lugar," he added.

(I went to the barangay captain and asked why there were tickets. The barangay captain said some could get two relief packs so they implemented the ticket policy. But, so what if they get two? Just give them everything. One will not get rich if he/she will receive two food packs. Let's not think about the bureaucracy and let's just ensure that the relief goods will reach the victims. This is a matter of life and death for them. Let's not wait for tickets, let's just go to the victims and give them assistance.) 

BARMM

The President also emphasized that the coordination between the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and local government units should be strengthened, adding that there should be more joint operations between the two.

"I notice na ang BARMM at saka 'yung LGU wala kayong joint operations. You have to have joint operations to maximize all of your assets dahil there is only so much kaya kailangan naka-focus. Now the different areas ay siyempre mayroong lugar na mas madami ang BARMM, mayroong lugar mas madaming tao ang LGU so i-join ninyo ang forces ninyo para ma-maximize natin," Marcos said.

(I notice that the BARMM and the LGUs have no joint operations. You have to have joint operations to maximize all of your assets because there is only so much so you need to focus. Now the different areas may have more BARMM personnel, others may have more LGU personnel. Join forces so you can maximize assets.)

"Kailangan gandahan natin 'yung coordination (we need to improve coordination)," Marcos said.

SOP

"The other thing I notice is that 'yung sa... we have to improve the SOP (standard operating procedure)," Marcos added.

He said SOPs at the height of natural calamities should be more efficient and that they must be implemented immediately.

"The LGUs have a bit of an advantage sa inyo dahil matagal na nilang ginagawa ito kaya't may mga procedure na (they have been doing this for a long time that's why there are existing procedures already), which actually as governors, binibigay din sa amin 'yan ng national government. So let's just follow procedures, bilisan na lang natin," said Marcos.

"The point of all these relief goods is to get as much relief goods, to rescue immediately, huwag na natin intindihin... There's no such thing as sobrang relief goods, no such thing... Kung ano 'yung mayroon tayo, ibigay kaagad. It doesn't matter kung may papel, 'wag niyo na papirmahan, basta't ibigay na. Walang kakainin 'yang mga 'yan," he added.

(There's no such thing as too many relief goods. Let's immediately distribute what we have. It doesn't matter if there's paper, you don't need them (victims) to sign. You just have to give them assistance. They don't have food to eat.)

Tree planting

Meanwhile, Marcos underscored the importance of tree planting in order to control floods.

"We have to include tree planting in our flood control. Dapat kasama 'yan. Kung gagastos tayo sa flood control, kailangan may tree planting (If we will spend for flood control, tree planting must be included). Maraming NGO (non-government organizations) ang tutulong sa inyo (A lot of NGOs will help you). I can help you with that. We talk to the Secretary of DENR," Marcos said.

The President said he talked to PAGASA and learned that at least four weather disturbance may enter the country by the end of the year.

"They are anticipating, may apat pa na bagyo until the end of the year... so, we have to deal with that already, paghandaan na natin. Let us already do that," Marcos said.

Prior to the situation briefing, Marcos, together with other government officials, conducted an aerial inspection over Maguindanao province.

Maguindanao was among the provinces severely hit by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng over the weekend. The President earlier raised concern over the high death toll in the province saying, "That seems very high for a flooding incident.”

Latest tally from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council indicated that most of the 110 reported fatalities, or 59, were from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

In the briefing, Maguindanao del Sur Governor Bai Mariam Mangudadatu said Paeng left 61 people dead, 40 hurt, and 17 missing in the province.

On the other hand, BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the cost of damage to agriculture has already reached P211,975,479. He said this could still increase as authorities continue to make assessment of the damage due to Paeng.

"The cost of damages to agriculture — very partial, Mr. President — because the team are still in the fields, assessing the extent of damage. Total estimated cost is at 211,975,479," Sinarimbo said.

When it comes to power supply, Sinarimbo said only the municipality of Datu Blah Sinsuat has no electricity yet in Maguindanao. —KG/RSJ, GMA News