Lawmaker seeks use of Yolanda cash donations from anonymous donors

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez asked yesterday the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to amend a rule that prevents the agency from using P165 million in cash donations from anonymous donors for the benefit of victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda that hit the country in 2013.

Romualdez, whose province was one of the worst hit areas in November 2013, made the call after DSWD spokesman Javier Jimenez said a department directive requiring the identification and acknowledgment of donors prevents the tapping of donations that remain idle in a government bank.

The lawmaker said thousands of Yolanda survivors are still in desperate situation and have not yet recovered from their losses.

He said the DSWD could coordinate with the Commission on Audit (COA) so the change in the rules would not violate any law.

“This unfamiliar policy is anti-poor and it pains me to hear that concerned government offi cials, including those from the DSWD are not seemingly do- ing enough to address the problem. The utilization of funds would help the relief and recovery efforts in Yolanda-hit areas,” Romualdez said.

“Why not work for the cancellation, repeal and invalidation of this antipoor government policy? If donations would not be spent for their intended purpose, this would be a great disservice to the noble intention of donors to help the plight of Yolanda victims,” he said.

Gabriela party-list Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmerenciana de Jesus hit the bureaucratic red tape, saying “if there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Ilagan said this was the first time that she heard of a government regulation regarding anonymous donors.

Rehab slow

Former Senator Panfilo Lacson, who served as presidential assistant for rehabilitation and recovery, said the government implementation of the recovery plan in Yolanda-affected areas had been slow.

Lacson said the cause of delay was the release of the budget to finance the rehabilitation of 171 cities and towns hit by Yolanda on Nov. 8, 2013.

President Aquino had appointed Lacson to head the rehabilitation and recovery program shortly after the strongest typhoon hit the country and managed to complete the task by February 2015.

The task of the office was merely planning and coordination, the implementation to be handled by government agencies.

In the plan, Lacson said his office recommended that sufficient budget be poured in the Yolanda-stricken region to ensure normalcy and help the people get back on their feet.

“We earmarked P50 billion in 2014, P80 billion for 2015 at P35 billion for 2016. The P50 billion in 2014 (is considered) done after much haggling. The P80 billion, I don’t know the status. But I heard the budget comes in trickles so implementation was delayed,” said Lacson.

Lacson lauded the private sector, which made a lot of effort and contribution to help the victims of the super typhoon. –