Tag: Yolanda

Statements

Ping, Masaya para sa ‘Yolanda Graduates’ Na Malaking Tulong sa Mga Komunidad na Nasalanta ng Bagyo

Karamihan sa mga development at community planning officers sa Visayas na nakatanggap ng scholarship grant mula sa Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) noong 2014 ay kasalukuyang tumutulong na sa mga komunidad na nasalanta rin ng kalamidad tulad ng Bagyong Odette at Agaton.

Ang scholarship grant na ito na nagkakahalaga ng US$10-million ay mula rin sa United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sa pakikipagtulungan ng OPARR noong pinamunuan ito ni Senador Ping Lacson na dating nagsilbi bilang Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery.

Sa kanyang pagbisita sa Ormoc, Leyte nitong Miyerkules kasama ang kanyang ka-tandem na si Senate President Tito Sotto, nakausap nila ang ilan sa mga planning officers na naging scholars ng nasabing programa.

Related: Seeing ‘Yolanda Graduates’ Making a Difference vs Calamities in Ormoc Makes Lacson Feel Fulfilled
Continue reading “Ping, Masaya para sa ‘Yolanda Graduates’ Na Malaking Tulong sa Mga Komunidad na Nasalanta ng Bagyo” →

Statements

Seeing ‘Yolanda Graduates’ Making a Difference vs Calamities in Ormoc Makes Lacson Feel Fulfilled

Many of the development and community planning officers in the Visayas who received scholarship grants from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) through the US$10-million technical support and assistance extended by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) after their areas were devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda are now helping their communities deal with similar disasters like Odette and Agaton – and independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is very proud of them.

Lacson, who as Presidential Assistant on Rehabilitation and Recovery facilitated their schooling eight years ago, met with some of the planning officers during his and vice presidential bet Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s visit to Ormoc, Leyte on Wednesday.

“Parang fulfilling. Of course tinamaan na naman ng Odette, tinamaan na naman ng Agaton. And we take pride in one of our legacy projects na nabanggit ko kanina, nagpa-scholar kami ng 162 planning officers who are now giving services sa kanilang respective municipalities (It was very fulfilling to see some of the 162 planning officers who underwent training via scholarships now giving services to their respective municipalities and dealing with the effects of recent cyclones like Odette and Agaton),” Lacson said.

Related: Ping, Masaya para sa ‘Yolanda Graduates’ Na Malaking Tulong sa Mga Komunidad na Nasalanta ng Bagyo
Continue reading “Seeing ‘Yolanda Graduates’ Making a Difference vs Calamities in Ormoc Makes Lacson Feel Fulfilled” →

Radio, Statements

Lacson: Gov’t Should be Open to Criticism, Private Sector Efforts on Year Two of COVID Response

As it faces more challenges in the second year of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government should be more open to constructive criticism as well as the efforts of the private sector, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson also said the government should evaluate the actions it has taken so far and sustain the strengths while addressing the weaknesses of its response.

“Now is the time for an evaluation, what the government did right and what it did wrong,” he said in an interview on DWIZ radio.

“Instead of rejecting constructive criticism, it should accept it as part of their planning and continuing assessment. Our aim is to call their attention to things they may not realize. No one has a monopoly of wisdom and knowledge,” he added.

Continue reading “Lacson: Gov’t Should be Open to Criticism, Private Sector Efforts on Year Two of COVID Response” →

Statements, Videos

Commending the TOYM 2020 Awardees

I’d like to add my voice in honoring the TOYM of the Philippines for 2020. Let me cite in particular Atty. Lesley Cordero who used to be my undersecretary in the OPARR, tasked to integrate the recovery efforts of the government for Super Typhoon Yolanda, one month after the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in history made landfall, damaging 171 cities and municipalities in 14 provinces of the five regions of the country, killing more than 6000 people and affecting 11 million others in central Philippines.

Without Undersecretary Cordero being seconded to the OPARR, I could not imagine how we could put together an eight-volume, 8,000-page Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan in record time of under eight months.

Walang pondo, walang sweldo sa loob ng apat na buwan, wala kaming reklamong nagtrabaho upang mapagaan ang buhay at kalagayan ng ating mga kababayan na matinding pinahirapan ng bagyong Yolanda. Nakatayo ako sa bulwagang ito, mahal na pangulo, upang pasalamatan at pahalagahan si Atty. Cordero, sampu ng kanyang mga kasama sa TOYM of 2020. Maraming salamat po Mr. President.

*****

Statements, Videos

Ping: Partisipasyon ng Pribadong Sektor, LGU sa Vaccination Program Palakasin

Ituring na katuwang ang pribadong sektor at mga lokal na pamahalaan sa programang pagbabakuna ng pamahalaan laban sa COVID-19, sa halip na tratuhin sila bilang kakompetensiya.

Kasabay nito, nanawagan si Senador Panfilo Lacson na mas palakasin ang partisipasyon ng pribadong sektor at mga lokal na pamahalaan sa naturang programa sa pamamagitan ng pagluluwag sa mga ito na makaangkat at maisagawa ang proseso ng pagbabakuna.

Ang kailangan lamang umano ay matiyak ang regular na koordinasyon ng mga ito sa mga mangangasiwa sa programa, ang Department of Health (DOH) at National Task Force Against COVID-19.

“One common mistake that every administration commits is treating the private sector as competitors through over-regulation instead of partners especially during the time of crisis such as this pandemic that we are confronting now,” banggit ni Lacson.

“Let’s face the reality that the private sector does not go through the same bureaucratic delays that their counterpart in the public sector suffers from,” obserbasyon ng mambabatas.

Related: Lacson Pushes Greater Private Sector, LGU Participation in Vaccination Program
Continue reading “Ping: Partisipasyon ng Pribadong Sektor, LGU sa Vaccination Program Palakasin” →

Statements, Videos

Lacson Pushes Greater Private Sector, LGU Participation in Vaccination Program

The private sector and local government units (LGUs) should be treated as partners and not competitors in the national government’s COVID-19 vaccination program by being allowed to actively and even proactively procure and administer vaccines, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson stressed Monday.

Lacson said this is as long as they are in close coordination and under the supervision of the Department of Health and National Task Force Against COVID-19.

“One common mistake that every administration commits is treating the private sector as competitors through over-regulation instead of partners especially during the time of crisis such as this pandemic that we are confronting now,” he said.

“Let’s face the reality that the private sector does not go through the same bureaucratic delays that their counterpart in the public sector suffers from,” he added.

Related: Ping: Partisipasyon ng Pribadong Sektor, LGU sa Vaccination Program Palakasin
Continue reading “Lacson Pushes Greater Private Sector, LGU Participation in Vaccination Program” →

Hearings/Investigations, Photos, Statements, Videos

Joint Committee Hearing on the Proposal to Create a Department of Disaster Management

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Sen. Lacson’s Opening Statement at the Hearing:

The World Economic Forum conducted in Geneva, Switzerland in 2017 identified both natural and man-made disasters as among the top global risks that can cause significant negative impact for several countries and industries within the next 10 years. But long before this risk has been widely talked about in international fora, disasters have unfortunately become a frequent life experience in the Philippines, and our recent history attests to this untoward reality.

Just last Friday, Nov. 8, we commemorated the sixth anniversary when category-five Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) cut a swath of unprecedented destruction across 171 cities and municipalities in Central Philippines. In the same breath, we are one with our brothers and sisters in Mindanao as they continue to heal from the scars caused by the Zamboanga siege in 2013 and the Marawi crisis in 2017. In between, various parts of the country are being shaken, quite literally, by earthquakes and numerous aftershocks; most recent of which were the three strong quakes that hit the island of Mindanao in the past weeks, affecting 146,000 Filipinos, most of whom are still living in tents as we speak.

Continue reading “Joint Committee Hearing on the Proposal to Create a Department of Disaster Management” →

In the News, Radio, Statements, TV

Interview on DZBB/GNTV: Walang ‘Pork’ sa 2020 Budget sa Unang Tingin? | Nov. 3, 2019

In an interview on DZBB/GNTV, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– thwarting possible attempts to insert pork in the P4.1-trillion proposed 2020 budget via bicam
– ‘most behaved’ House with P9.5B institutional amendments in the budget bill
– release of funds to address recent calamities

QUOTES and NOTES:
 Continue reading “Interview on DZBB/GNTV: Walang ‘Pork’ sa 2020 Budget sa Unang Tingin? | Nov. 3, 2019” →

In the News, Radio, Statements, TV

Interview on DZBB/GNTV: On the Metrobank Robbery | July 17, 2019

In an interview on DZBB/GNTV, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– updating laws to deal with crimes like the Metrobank robbery
– PH invoking national dignity in UN-HRC resolution on killings

Quotes from the interview…
Continue reading “Interview on DZBB/GNTV: On the Metrobank Robbery | July 17, 2019” →

Essays, Online

Haiyan: An Unforgettable Chapter in My Public Service Career [published in The Manila Times]

Sen. Lacson’s essay on Yolanda/Haiyan, five years after, as published in The Manila Times: “In sum, Haiyan is one chapter in my public service career I will never forget — extremely difficult, many times frustrating, yet satisfying only because I worked with very competent staff and consultants who didn’t mind the limitations imposed by our own government in all aspects.”  Continue reading “Haiyan: An Unforgettable Chapter in My Public Service Career [published in The Manila Times]” →

In the News, Online, Videos

Sloppy housing for calamity victims angers Lacson; Buwis natin pinagawa diyan! [Politiko]

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From Politiko: Lacson said prosecuting the jailing the contractors and officials concerned will be the only way to correct the situation.  Continue reading “Sloppy housing for calamity victims angers Lacson; Buwis natin pinagawa diyan! [Politiko]” →

In the News, Statements, Videos

#PingSays: On a new gov’t agency to handle disasters, and preparations for a possible impeachment trial | March 6, 2018

In an interview, Sen. Lacson answers questions on:
– a prospective new agency to handle disaster-related matters
– preparations for a possible impeachment trial

Quotes from the interview…  Continue reading “#PingSays: On a new gov’t agency to handle disasters, and preparations for a possible impeachment trial | March 6, 2018” →

In the News, Online

Rehab czar shares lessons of ‘Yolanda’ [Manila Bulletin]

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From the Manila Bulletin: Three years after supertyphoon Yolanda, the man who was appointed “rehabilitation czar” to help bring “normal” into the lives of people in the Yolanda Corridor, thinks back on work done and turned over. And coming from that experience, he shares some insights that can push government action on disaster preparedness and rehabilitation.  Continue reading “Rehab czar shares lessons of ‘Yolanda’ [Manila Bulletin]” →

Photos, Speeches

Speech at Mirasol Outreach Foundation Inc. Turnover

Concepcion National High School, Busuanga, Palawan

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Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda once said, and I quote: “There are no greater treasures than the highest human qualities such as compassion, courage and hope. Not even tragic accident or disaster can destroy such treasures of the heart.”

One thing is true: we are in an era of new struggles and undertakings of two extremes – climate change and Islamic fundamentalism; threats from natural calamities at the unprecedented scale of Typhoon Haiyan and the shattering of peace through extremist terrorist activities, like the recent horrendous and coordinated attacks in Paris.

Continue reading “Speech at Mirasol Outreach Foundation Inc. Turnover” →

In the News, Online

What melts Ping Lacson’s heart? [Philippine Star]

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From the Philippine Star: Former senator and police chief Panfilo “Ping” Lacson says his toughest job ever was also the one that easily melted his heart — that of being Rehabilitation Czar of areas hit by “Yolanda,” the strongest typhoon in recorded history.  Continue reading “What melts Ping Lacson’s heart? [Philippine Star]” →