State of Calamity?

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

President Arroyo’s decision to declare the entire country under a state of calamity, possibly for a whole year, has been met with opposition from members of the Senate, who are worried that it might lead to abuses on the part of the executive branch, and to misuse of funds. Senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Benigno Aquino III, Manuel Villar Jr., Manuel Roxas II, Francis Escudero, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Alan Peter Cayetano all warned against the very real possibility of Malacañang and local government units abusing the relaxed rules in the disbursement of funds during a state of calamity.

One of the questions raised by Senators was why the entire nation was placed under a state of calamity when only parts of Luzon were severely affected by tropical storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng”.  They also warned that such a broad coverage would allow LGUs all over the country to spend their calamity funds for other purposes, and with the general elections coming up, the possibility that the funds could be misused is too great to ignore.

There is no question that the areas hit hard by “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” need to be declared under a state of calamity so that the affected LGUs can address their problems with the use of emergency funds, and the imposition of price ceilings that would be justified once such a state is declared.  However, Metro Manila is not the Philippines, and all the rest of us would have to do is to look outside our windows to confirm that there is no need to declare the whole Philippines under an extended state of calamity.

If the state of calamity refers to the government response to super typhoons and massive flooding, then the entire nation probably does deserve to be declared under a perpetual state of calamity.  However, since the state of calamity that was referred to by Proclamation 1898 refers to the destruction that followed the wake of two powerful typhoons that ravaged Metro Manila as well as certain parts of Luzon, it is indeed difficult to comprehend why the entire country had to be included.  Just as perplexing is the government’s openness to extend the state of calamity for as long as it can, which gives the ordinary Filipino the impression that this government feels no urgency in addressing a very pressing problem. 

Perhaps that sense of urgency will come only when elections are already upon us?*