Kalinga SP: Don’t pass blame on anyone during calamities

By Peter A. Balocnit

TABUK CITY, Kalinga - - The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has adapted a policy not to pass the blame on people or to the President when calamities strike the province.

“Even blaming climate change is not the solution but to ask ourselves why there is this problem.” the officials said. “Instead officials and community people have to do first their part by doing remedial measures within local capacities and simultaneously ask outside help and not sit down and blame someone.”

As preemptive move to reduce risk of disaster since the provincial government has limited development funds, the SP requested Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. to allocate P3 million for the construction of flood control along the Saltan river at Taga, this municipality.

Board member Deogenes Gupaal filed the urgent resolution on the prodding of residents that the river is slowly cutting portions of their residential area and agricultural lands during heavy downpour and typhoons.

He said soil carried down by strong current of the SaltanRiver every time it swelled has perennially exposed the fact that settlement and agricultural areas could vanish in the future.

“This threat is worrying the people from a dangerous scenario soon to happen and to regret later when waters will one day wash out the developed area,” Gupaal said.

Gupaal said they have to ask support from their friends in the Senate adding “we should not pass the burden to President Aquino in solving our problems but instead do our share in risk reduction management.”