By Rowena dela Fuente (Eagle News Service)
BUSAN, South Korea, Dec. 12 (ENS) — President Aquino said he would be visiting provinces affected by Typhoon Hagupit (locally named Ruby), promising to give cash subsidies and housing assistance to typhoon victims when he returns from his visit here in South Korea,
The President is set to return to the country Friday night (Dec. 12) after attending the 25th Association of South East Asian Nation – Republic of Korea, or ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit.
However President Aquino refused to give details of his scheduled visit to the typhoon-hit provinces. The schedule is still being finalized by the Presidential Management Staff (PMS).
The government is planning to give cash and livelihood assistance to the typhoon-victims as subsidy.
Reports submitted to the President said 700,000 families were affected by typhoon Ruby, while 510,000 families were reported to have been evacuated to safer ground.
Aquino said the proposed cash subsidy or housing assistance would be between P10,000 to P30,000 for each typhoon victim. The amount to be given would depend on the extent of damage to their property.
The President also assured that there is enough funds to support the government efforts to rehabilitate areas affected by Ruby.
A total of P7.3 billion is still available as standby fund under the 2014 national budget. Of this amount, more than P2 billion came from the disaster risk reduction and management fund, while another P4.69 billion came from the Quick Response Fund (QRF), Aquino explained.
The government also proposed an increase in the disaster response budget for 2015.
The President said he was expecting the approval of the 2015 budget, saying that other needs could be further attended to only after the approval of the new budget.
Aquino said that, so far, Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad had not yet informed him about any problem regarding the availability of funds.
The President noted a significant difference between the devastation brought about by Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda in November last year compared to that of Typhoon Ruby.
He said that this time the strong coordination between government agencies and local government officials in effecting preemptive measures averted major damages.
President Aquino said a ‘zero casualty target’ remains an aspiration.
