Senatorial candidate Harry Roque said he would push for the passage of a supplemental budget for the victims of Typhoon Odette to speed up house reconstruction and augment livelihood assistance in the affected areas.
In a media statement on Friday, Roque pointed out that an additional budget would help the residents rebuild whatever they lost, including employment, from the typhoon.
Roque said he would prioritize the legislation of the supplemental budget if elected to the Senate after the May 2022 national elections.
On Thursday, Roque visited Barangay Bongtod in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur where he handed out some 700 relief packs to the typhoon victims.
He was welcomed and accompanied during the distribution activity by Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel, Surigao del Sur Second District Rep. Johnny Pimentel, CWS (Construction Workers Solidarity) Party-list Rep. Romeo Momo, and Tandag Mayor Roxanne Pimentel.
“Ang ayuda po importante dahil matapos ang bagyo, maraming nawalan ng hanapbuhay, maraming nawalan ng bahay para tuluyang makabangon ang mga lugar na nasalanta ng bagyong Odette, (The aid is important especially after the calamity as the victims lost their sources for living, houses and help them recover from the onslaught of typhoon Odette),” he told the residents in the area.
Roque is running under the Uniteam ticket of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and vice presidential aspirant Sara Duterte.
Roque said the 2022 budget allocation would not be enough to help typhoon victims in December last year.
“Hindi po matatapos ang paghihinagpis natin matapos ang isang buwan, hindi po ‘yan matatapos ng anim na buwan (Our sufferings will not end in a period of one month, nor in six months),” Roque said.
Roque, through his team, earlier provided 7,600 food packs, 300 hygiene kits, and 500-gallon of six-liter water to the typhoon-affected residents in the provinces of Dinagat, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and in Butuan City. (PNA)
Source: Philippines News Agency
