- Binay assured on Thursday he will complete construction of houses for ‘Yolanda’ victims if he becomes president
- He said he will also protect members of media from violence
- The UNA presidential bet also vowed to work on an effective crisis management
TACLOBAN CITY – Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on Thursday has assured to complete the construction of the 190,000 houses for the victims of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ — if he becomes president.
In an article published by the Manila Bulletin on April 1, the United Nationalist Alliance ( UNA) presidential bet said he will see to it that the housing projects for Yolanda victims will be finished during the first year of his term.
Binay, in his public rally at Tacloban Astrodome, also included in his platform the protection of journalists from violence as he vowed to prioritize the resolution of the cases of media killings.
Citing the sacrifices of the media who died in the line of duty, Binay said he seeks to protect members of the local media; pointing out that violence against the media will have no place under his administration.
According to the 73-year-old human rights lawyer, his administration will give importance to press freedom; saying that only a decisive leadership can end this culture of impunity in our country.
Among his other platform of government is having an effective management in times of crisis to avoid a repeat of slow government response during the occurrence of disaster assuring his audience at the rally that he will manage any cause of calamity.
Binay lambasted the present administration for failing to expedite the release of funds which he said were already in the budget but were not released.
He likewise exhorted administration presidential bet Mar Roxas for his incompetence in managing a calamity such as Yolanda. “Zero competence, if I may say so,” said Binay of Roxas who is his political opponent during his sortie.
At least 17,641 housing units have been built in 2015. As the government expects to build another 92,554 units by December 2016, Binay said he will direct all government agencies involved in the housing program to address the problem.
Binay also assured the swift release of calamity funds to help calamity victims in their speedy recovery and rehabilitation of areas that were affected.
This he said after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced the release of P2.25 billion for Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) projects in the Eastern Visayas only a month before the 2016 national elections.
The opposition presidential bet also added that poverty can easily worsen in a calamity hit area if the government will not move fast to aid affected people.
The former longtime Makati City mayor, had earlier promised to issue an executive order to implement the People’s Ownership of Government Information (POGI) bill during the first 100 days of his administration.
POGI is a version of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, which unfortunately won’t get passed by the end of President Aquino’s tenure this June.
The bill aims to give ordinary citizens access to information on matters of public concern and it also addresses the legal loopholes that have allowed government agencies to openly disregard the people’s right to information.
Meanwhile, Binay and his running mate Senator Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan II, also seconded the National Press Club’s (NPC) call for candidates running for national posts to disclose their stand on media killings.
Honasan who, according to Binay, will lead his administration’s anti-crime unit would take care of the safety and ensure that the media killings are given priority by the authorities.
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