HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader for Communications and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo has strongly criticized the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga for taking no action regarding the February Maco, Davao de Oro landslides that claimed 98 lives with eight others still missing.
Tulfo blasted the DENR and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and said he would question the two agencies for their seeming inaction a month after the Maco landslide occurred once the House Committee on Disaster Resilience starts its probe on the incident.
“February ho ito nangyari before Valentine’s. Ngayon ho ay 98 na ang patay sa Maco, Davao De Oro, tapos meron pa pong eight missing. So, mag-iisandaan na ito. Wala hong ginawa ang DENR, wala ring pong ginawa, wala kang narinig sa MGB. So ibig sabihin, may problema ho rito,” Tulfo said during one of the daily press briefings of the House of Representatives.
Other top DENR officials who are set to be invited to the hearing include Undersecretary for Field Operations and Environment Juan Miguel Cuna, Chief of Staff and Supervising Undersecretary for Strategic Communications Marilou G. Erni, Undersecretary for Legal and Administration Atty. Ernesto D. Adobo Jr., Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems and Climate Change Atty. Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Atty. Jonas S. Leones, Undersecretary for Field Operations-Mindanao Joselin Marcus E. Fragada, Undersecretary for Organizational Transformation and Human Resources Augusto D. Dela Peña, Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Legislative Affairs Atty. Ignatius Loyola A. Rodriguez and Undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science Dr. Carlos Primo C. David.
Tulfo lamented the slow response of the national government in addressing the many problems that arose from the landslide that resulted from heavy rains in the Davao Region early this year.
“Kaya minsan napupulaan ang gobyerno ng mga kababayan natin. Napakakupad, napakatagal, ngayon ko naramdaman pag nasa gobyerno ka, parang slow motion ‘yung galawan. Unlike pag nasa media tayo, gusto natin may follow-up kaagad. Pag sa gobyerno, parang slow motion,” Tulfo, a media personality, lamented.
The House Committee on Disaster Resilience chaired by Dinagat Island Rep. Alan Ecleo is set to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation into the deadly landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro last February.
The Feb. 6 landslide affected four barangays, burying several houses, a barangay hall, and a terminal of a bus company.
Tulfo said that since 2008, the areas affected by the landslide in Maco have been declared a “no-build zone.”
“Ibig sabihin, wala na dapat istruktura dyan. Wag ka na magpatayo. Kung meron man dyan, paalisin mo mga tao. Eh di ngayon 98 ang patay. Anong gagawin natin? Kakalimutan natin? Ibabaon natin sa limot?” Tulfo asked.
“Yun ang problema kaya nag-file kami ng resolusyon para maimbestigahan ito. Dinala po ito sa Committee on Disaster Resilience under kay Cong. Ecleo,” he added.
Tulfo said the House prioritized the exhaustive hearings of the Committee of the Whole on Resolution of Both Houses No. 7 seeking to amend the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution, but next week they will have time to investigate the incident.
“Next week, nangako po si Cong. Ecleo na uumpisahan na ho namin ‘yung imbestigasyon kasi po baka nakakalimutan na yata, nababaon yata sa limot. Yan ho ang problema sa atin, 98 ho yung patay, hindi ho pwede nating balewalain,” he said.
“Sinabi na nga ng MGB wag nyong tayuan ito, 2008 pa. Tayo ng tayo ng bahay. Kaya panawagan natin sa LGU, parang awa mo na mayor, governor, paki lang. Wag na ho nating dagdagan 98 + 8 nawawala,” he added.
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