by Lynda Jumilla, ABS-CBN News | 10/12/2009 5:02 PM
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MANILA - Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero called off a scheduled announcement on Monday of his reported plan to run for president in 2010, saying this wasn't the time to talk politics with northern Luzon, central Luzon, southern Tagalog and even Metro Manila still reeling from two typhoons and massive floods.
Escudero said the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) would instead meet Monday night to discuss a package of measures to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of people who have lost family members, homes, property and livelihood after the floods.
Foremost is a P12-billion special appropriation that Escudero is pushing, supported by NPC congressmen.
Escudero also proposed that:
1) instead of extending the semester, the education department automatically give a passing grade this semester for all elementary and high school students in affected areas, in as much as their schools won't be rehabilitated for some time yet;
2) the agriculture department provide fertilizer and seed subsidy to farmers to allow them to go back to their livelihood as well as resume food production immediately;
3) the labor department use its emergency employment fund;
4) the GSIS, NSO, PhilHealth, SSS, Pag-IBIG, and similar agencies put up a one-stop shop in calamity-stricken areas to facilitate processing of lost or destroyed official documents, to enable the public to make emergency loans and insurance claims;
5) the Department of Public Works and Highways, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Engineering Brigade, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) prioritize the repair of dikes along the Agno River to forestall flooding in case the dams need to release water again.
Escudero said he will also assist in the filing of a class action/tort suit for damages against the operators of the San Roque Dam for waiting till the last minute to release billions of liters of water, causing massive floods in the northern Luzon area.
Pressed about his political plans, Escudero said he preferred to have his "eyes on the ball" in addressing the disaster situation.
Asked whether he thought the present disaster situation would be daunting enough for anyone to reconsider his presidential ambitions, Escudero said: "Mas namuo ang aking desisyon dahil sa nakita kong maling paghawak sa krisis na ito...Hindi dapat takot ang maramdaman (ng susunod na pangulo) kundi ituring ito bilang hamon."
Asked when is the right time to formally announce his presidential bid, Escudero said before the November 30 deadline of filing of certificate candidacy.
akala ko eh matalino ka yun pala eh gunggong ka rin...bibigyan mo ng passing grade ang mga estyudante tapos pag di maganda resulta ng national exams eh magrereklamo kau na sablay ang education system ng Pilipinas???
mas malaki siguro ang magiging epekto kung di magpapakawala ng tubig ang mga dams naten.. konting pag-iisip naman boss chiz...
Submitted by yohei on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 10:26.utot mo! sinong paglolokohin mo...papogi points ka pa sa mga estudyante para mahila mo boto ng kabataan pati magulang ng mga bata. cheap mo. luma na, bulok pang style mo. kaya maraming bata gunggong dahil sa inyong palabas. kung gumagawa kayo ng batas na ang school days ay sa tag init, di hindi nagdudusa ang body and mind ng mga bata.
Submitted by dahonks on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 23:08.Automatically giving a passing grade this semester for all elementary and high school students in affected areas is not the answer. We had landslides, we had earthquakes and floods before, education did not stop instead we made do of what we had, some made makeshift schools, we went to school on saturdays to make-up for the lost time, students shared their books, what kind of values are you teaching our younger generation by proposing passing grades to each students.
Submitted by TehShy on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 20:13.Senator Chiz, please think before you say something.
that is not the solution.
Submitted by tsktsj on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 20:12.Passing grades because of storms?@#@%%
Is he on drugs????
Submitted by Jeremiah on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 18:00.The dreamer.
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