Lacson: It’s Yolanda over Napoles

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler talked to Rehabilitation Secretary Panfilo Lacson about the roadblocks that hamper recovery efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) and the government’s plans to overcome them.

Last year, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Lacson, a former senator, to coordinate government efforts to rehabilitate areas devastated by the strongest storm ever to hit land in the country.

Six months after Typhoon Yolanda, there is growing frustration at the pace of the government’s rehabilitation process. Asked why progress is slow, Lacson blamed bureaucracy and red tape. He believed himself to be a victim of unfortunate circumstances: lack of available land for relocation sites, a position that has limited powers and no legal weight, and uncooperative Cabinet officials. (READ: Indonesian rehab czar: Give Lacson more powers)

Earlier, Lacson’s spokesperson Karen Jimeno said two Cabinet clusters had been stalling the progress of the rehabilitation program as they had not submitted their respective post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA). The government needs the PDNA to craft a master rehabilitation plan for the affected areas. (READ: Yolanda rehab: 2 Cabinet clusters still delinquent)

Critics had also scored Lacson for participating in discussions on the pork barrel scam as this only served to distract him from the gargantuan task at hand.

Lacson had revealed in media interviews that the Napoleses approached him a month before Justice Secretary Leila de Lima met with alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles. He was given a list of governments officials and “agents” supposedly involved in the scam, a draft affidavit of Napoles, and narration of events. He submitted the documents to the Senate blue ribbon committee on May 13. (READ: Abad, Alcala, 12 senators in Lacson’s Napoles list)

Lacson talked to Rappler about the criticism leveled against him in his rehabilitation efforts, and the challenges of helping rebuild the lives of millions displaced by Typhoon Yolanda. Watch the interview below. 

– Rappler.com