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President Gloria Arroyo has ordered the Department of Trade and
Industry to clamp down on profiteers in areas ravaged by Typhoon
Frank amid reports that prices of basic goods in the affected areas
had skyrocketed.
President Arroyo also instructed the National
Food Authority to flood the affected areas with subsidized rice to
counter high prices of the grains.
Reports reaching the President showed the price
of rice in Iloilo has reached between P35 and P38.50. “Above P35
per kilo is not tolerable,” she said.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on
Wednesday said it will extend loan assistance and scholarship
programs to college students in areas devastated by Typhoon Frank.
CHED commissioner, Dr. Nona Ricafort said that
students can also avail a one-day loan package amounting from P4,000
to P8,000, and that the funding for the loan assistance and
scholarships will come from the P1 billion earlier ordered released
by President Arroyo.
Ricafort added the commission is now
coordinating with National Disaster Coordinating Council in the
evaluation and proper identification of families affected by the
typhoon.
CHED asked medical schools to extend assistance
to families in calamities-stricken areas.
“They can help the local government units and
the Red Cross in the distribution of relief goods and all kinds of
other support,” the commissioner said.
The commissioner already tapped students who had
trained under the National Service Training Program to help in the
clean-up drive and rehabilitation of typhoon-devastated areas,
particularly Iloilo and Romblon.
Japan, China extend assistance
The Japanese government expressed sympathy for
the victims of Typhoon Frank and reiterated their commitment to
assist in the Philippine government’s disaster management efforts.
Emergency assistance amounting to approximately
20 million Japanese yen or about P8 million has been allocated by
Japan for the typhoon victims, and will come in the form of relief
items which include sleeping pads, generators, water tanks and
plastic sheets.
China also offered $100,000 or about P4.4
million in aid to help the Philippines to recover from the typhoon.
During a turnover ceremony at the Department of
Foreign Affairs Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines
Song Tao handed over to Acting Foreign Secretary Francisco Benedicto
the $100,000 aid.
The US government already gave $100,000 in
emergency aid through the US Agency for International Development.
It will also be in form of essential relief goods that will be
distributed by the Philippine National Red Cross.
Damage to schools
The Department of Education on Wednesday said
that the extent of damage to 458 school buildings caused by the
typhoon has now reached over P303 million.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus ordered the
immediate rehabilitation of the buildings and requested P300 million
from the National Disaster Coordinating Council. The amount will be
used for the replacement, repair, rehabilitation of school
facilities affected by the typhoon.
-- James Konstantin Galvez, Angelo S. Samonte and Katrice R.
Jalbuena
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