BALANGA CITY – Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos on Saturday said he wanted the system in the distribution of relief assistance for areas hard hit by Yolanda be improved and red tape lessened.
“Sa ngayon lahat ng relief goods iisa lang ang central point and dispatching, kailangan i-decentralize kaunti at ang pinagdadaanan ng relief assistance paramihin. Malaking problema ang distribution at kung saan lalapag ang malalaking eroplano na may kargang relief goods,” Marcos said.
“Bawasan din ang red tape at kung sino ang humihingi at nagsasabing nauuhaw at nagugutom bigyan agad ng walang maraming tanong,” he said. The senator said that hoarding could not take place because people are out in the open. He said there are almost no structures left intact. “Maski ang bahay namin sa Leyte, wala na,” he said.
Marcos asked that government make proper coordination with private donors who he said are the big contributors. “May mga pribadong donors na gustong tumulong pero ang sabi ng gobyerno sila lang gagawa.
Kailangan ayusin ito.” He said the bottle- neck in the arrival of relief assistance both by air, sea and land should be remedied. On the part of his family, he said they are trying to establish alternative lines to transport supplies.
He said he has asked some airline companies to use light planes to airdrop goods in remote areas. He said he was thinking of requesting barge owners or even the Philippine Marines to make use of landing crafts that can go into the beaches to bring relief goods.
“Nakapagdala na kami ng isang eroplanong 747 na kargado ng relief goods sa Tacloban at ngayon may isa pa kaming nakahandang 747 pero hindi namin alam kung saan idadaan dahil congested na sa Cebu,” Marcos said.
The senator was in Balanga City to inspect his infrastructure projects on the concreting of roads worth P5 million each in barangays Tuyo and Cataning in Balanga and the Mariveles-Bagac Road.
He also turned over a multi-cab to Barangay Gabon in Abucay, Bataan. These are all under his development project through the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Gov. Albert Garcia led local and provincial officials in welcoming Marcos in Balanga City.
