House Committee approves P10 B supplemental calamity fund!

MANILA, Philippines - The House Committee on Appropriations has approved a still unnumbered joint resolution which would allocate ten billion pesos in calamity funds, Speaker Prospero Nograles said.

In a report to Nograles, Appropriations chairman Quirino Representative Junie Cua said the resolution was approved Friday while typhoon Parma was still battering provinces in Northern Luzon with massive rains and horrific winds that brought flooding and rendered major highways and bridges impassable.

Nograles said the Joint Resolution is expected to be submitted to the plenary on Monday for its swift approval.

"Typhoons Ketsana and Parma brought a horrific logistical nightmare in our disaster management and rehabilitation capabilities. We need this supplemental calamity fund if we want to help our people whose lives were destroyed by the typhoons," Nograles said.

Nograles said the Joint Resolution would allow the government to use unprogrammed appropriations to provide relief and fast track the rehabilitation of areas devastated by the typhoons as he noted that the Senate, through Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has made a commitment to facilitate the resolution's swift approval before Congress goes on recess on October 16.

The proposal to augment the country's calamity funds came during a meeting between leaders of Congress and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City late Tuesday. (Gil Bugaoisan)