STATEMENT
Kalikasan – People’s Network for the Environment
December 12, 2024
MANILA – Recognizing the people’s right to safe evacuation centers and the ability to recover from disasters is commendable. However, the Republic Act 12076 or ‘Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act,’ signed by President Marcos, Jr. on December 6, risks being deceptive if the allocated budget does not truly benefit those in need while environmental destruction continues unchecked, undermining communities’ capacity to withstand calamities.
The allocation of funds for permanent evacuation centers is long overdue, but it falls short without adequate compensation and aid for disaster victims. Billions have been lost in homes, crops, and properties due to recent typhoons, yet government assistance remains severely lacking. We emphasize the urgent need for sufficient, consistent, and immediate aid and compensation for disaster victims.
This law also falls short if destructive policies such as large-scale quarrying, mining, reclamation, and mega-dam construction persist. In the first two years of the Marcos, Jr. regime alone, 75 new and 59 renewed mining and quarrying projects were approved. These activities are major drivers of environmental destruction, intensifying disasters that displace communities.
“Hindi ‘yan kasalanan ng bulnerableng mamamayan. Ang problema, pinasan l’ang nila ang mga pahirap na ‘yan nang walang kumpensasyon mula sa mga kumpanya, mga bansa, at mismong gubyerno. Ito ang injustice na nananaig sa climate crisis.”
Rosb Guzman
(It’s not the fault of vulnerable communities. The real problem is that they’ve been forced to bear all these hardships without any compensation from corporations, wealthy nations, or even their own government. This is the injustice at the heart of the climate crisis.)
Adequate funding for evacuation centers and disaster forecasting is crucial. For instance, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA)’s budget for Flood Forecasting and Warning dropped by 30% since 2022, while its Weather and Climate Forecasting budget fell by 22%. Unprogrammed and confidential funds, as well as allocations for military spending and debt servicing, could instead be redirected toward evacuation centers and compensation for disaster victims.
We must also guard against the high risk of corruption in implementing this law. Without proper oversight, it could become yet another avenue for politicians and contractors to siphon funds. In the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, the Philippines ranked 115th out of 180 countries. Recent congressional hearings on flood control projects by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the budgets of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) have revealed the alarming extent of corruption in the bureaucracy.
“Bongbong Marcos should stop destructive projects like large-scale mining and quarrying… Quarrying is one of the major causes that aggravates flooding in Metro Manila. In fact, the Marcos government should be held accountable for allowing the continuation and expansion of destructive corporate and government projects.”
Eco Dangla
Evacuation centers should not be a short-term solution but part of a comprehensive disaster preparedness and climate adaptation plan. This includes halting destructive projects, providing living wages, ensuring safe housing, and granting land to farmers. True safety lies in preserving environmental balance and addressing the root causes of poverty.
#ClimateJusticeNow
