LINGAYEN–So, where is the money?

Governor Amado Espino Jr. is himself puzzled where the supposed calamity funds from the national government went, or whether there were any in the first place.

The governor has promised to look into the funds from the national government that the province supposedly received — or did not receive — following calamities in the last two years.

President Benigno Aquino III, in his first State of the Nation Address on July 26, said Pangasinan, which was one of the most devastated provinces after Typhoon Pepeng last year, only received P5 million in calamity funds, but this amount actually represents rehabilitation work for Typhoon Cosme, which took place in 2008.

Espino said he is certain that the province did receive a calamity fund after “Pepeng” but is unsure about the specifics of the P5 million that P-Noy mentioned.

“I am sure that we received some projects after Typhoon Pepeng and some of these projects are still ongoing till today,” said Espino in a talk to newsmen on Friday.

Typhoon Cosme wrought havoc to the second, third and fourth districts of Pangasinan in August 2007 while Typhoon Pepeng spawned flooding in eastern and central Pangasinan in October 2010. Before “Pepeng”, the western part of Pangasinan was devastated by Typhoon Ondoy.

After “Pepeng”, Espino said some of the major projects in Pangasinan undertaken by the past administration were the reconstruction of the Bued Bridge between Sison, Pangasinan and Rosario, La Union and the restoration of damaged Agno River dikes, all amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos.

The governor admitted that he does not know whether the money used for these projects came from the calamity fund although he mentioned that the corresponding papers were signed by then Defense Secretary and National Disaster Coordinating Council Chairman Gilbert Teodoro.

After “Cosme”, Malacanang sent galvanized iron and other construction materials to the province, but Espino said these were not coursed through the provincial government but instead through the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The galvanized iron sheets were apportioned to families who lost their homes. The beneficiaries were validated by the DSWD.

The repair of the Narciso Ramos Civil and Sports Center after “Cosme” was funded by the 
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office on order of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Hospitals damaged by “Cosme” were also repaired from part of funds given by Malacanang.

He also noted that there were funds released by the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD) in Bani and Alaminos after “Ondoy”.—LM

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