Senator Robin Padilla is seeking to fine-tune the Philippine government’s information dissemination and aid distribution mechanisms, to enhance responses and preparations for El Nino, La Nina, and other “environmental shocks”.
Padilla filed Senate Resolution 1025, directing the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media – which he chairs – to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on the matter.
In his resolution, the legislator stressed the need to craft a “whole of society” approach in dealing with El Nino and La Nina, environmental shocks that may impair agricultural productivity.
“Preparation through proper information dissemination and prompt distribution of government aid and support could spell out success in addressing our country’s vulnerability to frequent environmental shocks.”
“Preparation through proper information dissemination and prompt distribution of government aid and support could spell out success in addressing our country’s vulnerability to frequent environmental shocks,” the lawmaker said.
“Filipinos must be informed of up-to-date and necessary preparations and responses of the national and local government.”
But the senator noted that while the state weather agency has not been remiss in releasing forecasts of El Nino and La Nina – and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a whole-of-government approach in facing the challenges of El Nino and La Nina, there is a need to review historical data and identify policy gaps.
“Filipinos must be informed of up-to-date and necessary preparations and responses of the national and local government, as the public has, over the years, been taking the brunt of these environmental shocks,” he added.
Padilla likewise pointed out a comprehensive public information drive is necessary to apprise the affected population of the government’s projects, programs and activities to help them cope with the adverse effects of this crisis.
“A whole-of-society approach, with respect to information dissemination in all crisis-related concerns, must be adopted in order to facilitate societal inclusivity and to ensure the active participation of all sectors to better amplify government’s response to ensure that information will be delivered promptly, and in a language well-understood by the population directly affected,” he concluded.
