Position Paper of the INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

DEPARTMENT on the PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT’S NEGLIGENCE DURING THE

RECENT TYPHOONS

“As President, I guarantee you that your government will do its best to provide assistance in
the form of shelters, relief, goods, financial aid, and post-disaster counseling. Rest assured,
the government will not leave anyone behind. We will get through this crisis. I assure you,”
President Duterte said in a national address (Paroccha, 2020). For the past two months, several
typhoons entered and hit the Philippines. Namely, they are Typhoon Quinta, Super Typhoon Rolly,
severe tropical cyclone Siony, tropical cyclone Tonyo, and Typhoon Ulysses (Uy, 2020). And
within these two months, they battered Bicol, CALABARZON, and NCR week after week. Some
cyclones did not cause much damage as the last one. However, these regions did not recover and
became more vulnerable to these storms. During Typhoon Quinta, 22 people have died, 39 injured,
and four reported missing. Also, the onslaught of the typhoon destroyed 3,608 houses
(Nepomuceno, 2020). For Super Typhoon Rolly, at least 10 Bicolanos have died, while rocks and
mud buried approximately 300 homes (Nonato, Cabrera, 2020). And during Typhoon Ulysses, 67
people have died, 21 injured, and 12 reported missing while the floods destroyed and submerged
25,852 houses (Galvez, 2020). Despite these mishaps, the Filipino resiliency narrative resurfaced
with photos of survivors and rescuers smiling as they travel to safety. The Philippine government
has used this narrative to their advantage and said that the aftermath of the typhoons could have
been worse. But where were they? Were they sleeping soundly in their homes while their
countrymen suffered? Were their relief and rescue efforts enough to reduce these numbers? This
organization believes they are inadequate. People must stop the romanticization of Filipino
resiliency and finally hold the government accountable for the incompetence it has shown.
The government expressed their satisfaction in providing relief aid to people in the streak of
the typhoons. The government has been alert before the typhoon hit and prepared the food and
other resources in the affected areas beforehand. However, 73 people have died, and 19 people
reported missing (Kabiling, 2020). Although people saw the government's response, it was slow
in responding to unprecedented events and projects in mitigating the effect of a typhoon in our
country. Amidst the rescue operations in Marikina, the city deployed 57 rubber boats, but their
resources are not enough to respond to all. The local chief executive has asked the national
government to send help, but the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
(NDRRMC) sent only one rescue boat (CNN, 2020). Apart from this, the administration admitted
that they were not able to respond at once when the floodwaters rose rapidly (Cabrera, Flores,
Romero, 2020). Also, considering the geographical location of our country, preparing to a certain
degree where the damages created by the previous typhoons is a necessity, and the administration

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did not give enough attention to that issue in these past few years. Thus, improved human and
house settlement planning and a better drainage system can lessen the damage of the typhoon to
the affected areas.
In the time of calamities, the local government units (LGUs) are the first to respond according to
Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010
(DSWD, 2020). However, the law stated that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (NDRRMC) must create and build programs and protocols for disaster risk
reduction and management to address the specific weaknesses of various government agencies and
LGUs. With this said, LGUs must follow with the support of the national council in implementing
protocols and disaster risk responses. Now that a pandemic has plagued the country, disaster funds
of LGUs depleted to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. An example of this is the 2020 disaster
budget in Batangas. Because of the pandemic and of the Taal volcano eruption, the budget greatly
decreased. Meanwhile, Marikina City's expenses increased by 50% because of the need for more
evacuation centers amid physical distancing requirements and COVID-19 tests (Guilla, 2020). And
because of these deductions, the LGUs will need the aid of the national council. With these
deductions alone, many can already assume that the calamity response of the government is
inefficient. However, once the administration admits their incapability to respond to unexpected
events, this organization can conclude that their calamity response was not enough to satisfy all
those in need of timely reaction and help from the government.
The government defunded Project NOAH while Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
fraud and debt affected the Philippine Red Cross’ search-rescue-and-relief operations.
Project NOAH is helpful if the government continues supplying its funds because it provides real-
time information on weather, floods, landslides, and storm surges using their high-resolution
hazards map on their application and website (Esquire, 2020). In this way, it will help the people
become aware and prepared for upcoming calamities. Also, it will prevent risks and reduce the
expenses needed to restore the damages brought by the calamity's aftermath. Last February 28,
2017, the government defunded Project NOAH because of insufficient budgets. The organization
behind the project asked for an extension. However, the government verbally rejected their request
(Dimacali, 2017).
Additionally, there is a fraud happening in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. Less than
Php 200B is missing from the budget of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation since 2013
(Yee, 2019) with approximately Php 15B lost in the pockets of syndicates (Ramos, 2020). The
government must remove these syndicates from their posts because they are not helpful in the
country's declining economy. Last November 2, 2020, the administration announced that 135
individuals are being investigated by the Bureau of Customs, while 45 individuals are facing
administrative cases. The administration reiterated that December will be the next round of

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investigation. Many of them will lose their job, many will no longer have any alliance with the
government, and many will go to jail (PCCO, 2020). Because of this theft, the budget of the
Philippine Red Cross decreased, and calamity response became delayed.
According to Senator Richard Gordon, the debt of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to
the Philippine Red Cross reached approximately Php 477M. In turn, the Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation offered to send swabbers to the affected area (Magsino, 2020). This
organization finds this offer ridiculous because the residents need food, shelter, and other basic
needs more than ever. Without clean water, residents are prone to have diarrhea and water-borne
diseases. And with the area isolated and harder to reach, people need food packages, fuel, and
hygiene kits more than COVID-19 testing kits. Overall, Project NOAH equips people with
sufficient knowledge to prepare for possible calamities. It can potentially reduce the number of
casualties and the expenses for reconstruction. However, the government stripped the project's
potential once it stopped funding it. And with the fraud happening in the Philippine Health
Insurance Corporation and their rising debt to the Philippine Red Cross, there is a delay in the
Philippine Red Cross search-rescue-and-relief operations.
All can be prevented and lessened if there are better budgeting, drainage systems, and active
projects from the government. When will the government walk the talk? Instead of a short-term
resolve, there should be better plan-making to address the long-term resolution. Congress allotted
P4 billion less for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
this year correlated beside 2019. Duterte has generally neglected the country’s disaster risk
reduction and management (DRRM) programs. There is weak coordination with the stakeholders
and the NDRRMC. Also, there is low prioritization with the absence of human resources and a
lack of technical knowledge in the LGUs (Punongbayan, 2020). Instead of the Kaliwa Dam
Project, focusing on the restoration of Sierra Madre will be more beneficial and more sufficient
for the long-term resolve. One of the posts related to this stated that the illegal deforestation of the
Kaliwa Dam could bring more danger to the lives and homes of the residents of Daraitan since the
signed Kaliwa Dam project takes a couple of portions of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range
(Madarang, 2020).
Between the Sierra Madre and the Kaliwa Dam project, the Sierra Madre will have more benefits
and more security to the lives of the people because rather than damaging and then rebuilding, the
government can restore the Sierra Madre to its rightful beauty. Not only will it be able to attract
tourists, but there will also be lesser damage that may affect the people. After what happened, the
Yolanda survivors do not wish the same mistake with the reconstruction program of the
government. The Community of Yolanda Survivors and Partners (CYSP) quoted that there was no
adequate consideration to the community participation needed to accomplish a people-centered
reconstruction process. They have mentioned that there are well-documented incompetence and

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exploitation at various levels of the bureaucracy. Their electricity and water connections are not
free, contradictory to what President Duterte has assured them. Subsequently, the task force was
supposed to complete the reconstruction in August 2020. However, it was prolonged until June 30,
2022, to give way to the completion of the housing project (Reyes, 2020). The government must
not disregard the concerns of the people. They must not say their promises to give a temporary
solution and assurance to the people.
The government shut down the Philippine’s biggest media network during the pandemic.
The several typhoons that landed in the Philippines claimed to be the strongest in the world this
year. Namely, they are typhoon Rolly and typhoon Ulysses, given the wrath and devastation of the
Filipino people. The aftermath of these made people come to their senses about the importance of
information circulation. According to Mercado (2020), these happenings made netizens
nationwide mention how ABS-CBN's wide-ranging information distributions can be beneficial
throughout the typhoons and how things could have been different if their franchise pushed
through. Since May 2020, 70 legislators voted for ABS-CBN's closure because of violations
regarding their franchise. These votes led the media giant to stop their regional network groups
that helped people in remote places to stay informed.
According to Marquez (2020), Vice President Robredo mentioned this issue in an interview,
stating that there is a need for efficient information broadcasting in times of crisis. Then, she gave
an example that they count on the regional network groups as their root of information in Bicol
and Tuguegarao. The governor of Cagayan also revealed that their unpreparedness was because of
insufficient information on the typhoon. Additionally, Danilo Araoeg tweeted that while people
look forward to different news media organizations to supply the newest meteorology conditions,
many people still long for ABS-CBN for an uncomplicated reason. This reason is "all hands on
deck” (Buan, 2020). Given these statements, it is visible that they all want to bring back the
incomparable service of ABS-CBN to the Filipino people. Also, they wish for the government to
realize the outcome of their actions will surely cost big, and that is the lives of their countrymen.
To summarize this organization’s claims, we must hold the Philippine government
accountable for their selfishness and neglect during the five typhoons that hit the country.
Since October, typhoons have battered the country. Many people died, and many lost their homes
and livelihood. Government officials could have prevented all these if they put aside their greedy
interests and did their jobs as public officials.
The government must use the money of the country in long-term government projects like Project
NOAH. Officials pick-pocketing the taxes of the community must step down and return it
rightfully. The primary focus of the government must be on the country’s welfare, not on the
interests of partnered nations. They must protect the environment, the Sierra Madre, instead of

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building dams in place of it. Most importantly, they must not shut down the ABS-CBN. They must
make information accessible to all.
The Philippines is indeed prone to typhoons because of its geographic location. However, it does
not mean that everyone must suffer the consequences of it for as long as they live. How many lives
must the country lose? How much longer must our countrymen suffer? The people of the
Philippines put the government officials there in their posts to serve, and they can kick them right
out if they do not step up and improve their work. They are public servants, not kings and queens.
Let us never forget what they did.
______________________
The International School, Senior High School Department is an organization made up of the
academic track (ABM, GAS, HUMSS, STEM), arts and design track, sports track, and technical-
vocational-livelihood track. It is an organization which seeks to instill honesty and justice from
the students’ academic papers to the societal issues currently occurring in the Philippines. Hence,
it provides adequate and reliable information from credible sites and scholarly articles.

Individual Signatories:
Charmaine L. Bartolome
Alea Jan Beatriz D. Calolot
Patricia Mae J. Pabres
Kristine Angelica G. Rodil
Kervin M. Ross

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Cabrera, R., Flores, H., Romero, A. (2020). Duterte, Officials Insist Gov't Prepared For Typhoon
Ulysses Amid 'Unexpected' Flooding. OneNews.ph. https://www.onenews.ph/duterte-
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 https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/762517/gordon-philhealth-s-
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