Official pleads for more help for Typhoon Pablo victims

COMPOSTELA VALLEY PROVINCE, Feb. 7 -- Speaking during the plenary session of the House of Representatives last January 21, 2013, Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora recounted the misery Typhoon Pablo brought to her constituents, and appealed for more assistance and compassion for the victims. 

The ComVal lawmaker emotionally articulated that, in all her years, Compostela Valley has not been visited by a strong typhoon, and that people knew nothing about this natural calamity. 

“Pero noong ika-4 ng Disyembre, nang humagupit si Pablo, sa lakas ng agos ng tubig at putik na dala niya, nahubaran po ang aking mga kababayan. Naglaho ang mga ari-arian, tinangay ang aming mga tahanan, at natabunan ang aming mga kabuhayan. Ang pinakamasakit, napakarami pong pamilya na namatay, at nawawala sa aming mga mahal sa buhay,” she achingly recalled. 

Rep. Zamora reported that her office has since remained proactive in delivering effective and affirmative responses for the sake of her constituents. 

She thanked the national government’s concerned agencies, the Office of the President, the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate, her legislator-colleagues, the national assembly’s employees, other countries and international organizations and their representatives, benevolent private individuals, government leaders, celebrities, groups, organizations, foundations, media outfits, and others who poured in help for her constituents. 

The young solon then pleaded for more aid and asked that the tragedy suffered by Compostela Valley remain in the national consciousness until such a time that those affected are able to return to normal lives. 

She appealed for the House leadership to continue assisting her office in carrying the burden of enlisting the help of the national government in sourcing funds for the rehabilitation of Compostela Valley; for the national government to expedite rebuilding destroyed public infrastructure, rehabilitating agriculture and livelihood sources and services in the province; 

The official also asked for the national government to support monitoring of geohazards throughout the country, and to come up with a geohazard rural alert system that the people will understand. (PIAXI/Rodielyn Manugas, ids-comval/LAC)