P-Noy accepts Lacson resignation

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday accepted the resignation of Panfilo Lacson as presidential assistant for recovery and reconstruction (PARR) effective February next year.

“We agreed in principle to wind up my duties as PARR by Feb. 10, when I shall have completed the transition to NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council), where the four-phase cycle of addressing disasters rightfully belongs,” Lacson said in a text message disseminated by Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

Lacson and Aquino had a conversation yesterday where he discussed with the President the timeliness of the transition.

Lacson pointed out the NDRRMC would be under mandatory review by Congress on or before May 27, 2015 under Republic Act No. 10121, or the law creating the disaster preparedness agency.

“We had a good talk,” Lacson said, adding he explained to the President the wisdom of strengthening the NDRRMC.

Lacson stressed the importance of the NDRRMC, especially in the area of rehabilitation and recovery, which he admitted was the biggest gap among the four thematic areas, namely: prevention and mitigation, under the Department of Science and Technology; Department of the Interior and Local Government for preparedness; response and relief for the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for rehabilitation and recovery.

Lacson said during their conversation that he proposed to the President to elevate the Office of Civil Defense administrator/executive director of the NDRRMC as co-vice chair with the NEDA director general to handle rehabilitation in a permanent capacity.

“I also suggested the automatic release of the budget (P80 billion for 2015) by (the Department of Budget and Management) to NDRRMC to limit the vetting to one layer, unlike the practice now wherein the national government agencies request for funds from DBM for vetting, after which the latter will have to endorse the same to NDRRMC for a second round of vetting, before referring to (the Office of the) PARR,” Lacson said.

“The President was intently listening and taking notes,” he said.

Coloma earlier confirmed Lacson had tendered his resignation as head of the OPARR.

But Coloma clarified the resignation was included in the transition proposal that the OPARR submitted to Aquino last week.

Lacson explained he wanted out as rehabilitation czar because he already did his job and it was now time to transfer OPARR’s task to permanent government agencies, such as the NDRRMC, that would implement the rehabilitation phase of the government’s build-back-better programs for areas devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

Lacson also said the scope of the NDRRMC should be expanded for it to be able to fulfill its mandate and rehabilitate areas that have been devastated by calamities.