RESOLUTION EXPRESSING DEEP SYMPATHY OF THE SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF DEVASTATING SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA

RESOLUTION URGING HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT BENIGNO SIMEON C. AQUINO III, TO DECLARE A STATE OF NATIONAL CALAMITY DUE TO THE IMMENSE EXTENT OF DESTRUCTION BY SUPERTYPHOON YOLANDA

RESOLUTION URGING ALL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO EFFECT A MORATORIUM ON THE PAYMENT OF DEBTS, AS WELL AS THE IMPOSITION OF INTEREST, PENALTIES AND SIMILAR CHARGES ON FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS OF AFFECTED PRIVATE PERSONS AND PUBLIC CORPORATIONS IN ORDER TO EASE THE BURDEN ON OUR COUNTRYMEN AFFECTED BY THE SPATE OF SEVERE NATURAL AND MAN MADE CALAMITIES THAT HIT THE COUNTRY, AND TO ASSIST IN THE REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION IN THE AFFECTED AREAS, WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF HELPING OUR COUNTRYMEN TO STAND-UP AND RECOVER FROM THESE CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE NEED TO ESTABLISH A VOLUNTEER CORPS SPECIFICALLY TRAINED AND EQUIPPED FOR DISASTER RESPONSE AND RELIEF OPERATIONS IN TIMES OF CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION APPEALING TO THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES TO LIFT THE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER ISSUED ENJOINING THE RELEASE AND USE OF THE REMAINING PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND (PDAF) ALLOCATED TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS UNDER THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2013 FOR THE SAID FUNDS TO BE AVAILABLE AND BE USED FOR THE RELIEF, RESCUE AND REHABILITATION OF THE AREAS AFFECTED BY DISASTROUS CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION URGING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY TO REVIEW, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE PRESENT DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT EFFORTS AND CAPABILITIES OF BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF RECOMMENDING A MORE EFFICIENT COORDINATION GOVERNMENT PLAN ADDRESSING CALAMITIES, CATASTROPHES AND EMERGENCIES AND SUBMITTING POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING LAWS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH REGARD TO INCOMING FOREIGN AND LOCAL AID FOR THE VICTIMS OF SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA

RESOLUTION URGING THE LAND BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES TO PROVIDE BETTER LOAN TERMS TO VICTIMS OF SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA TO SPUR AND STIMULATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE AREAS RAVAGED BY THE SAID TYPHOON

RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE INCLUSION OF A SPECIAL FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF TEN BILLION PESOS (PHP 10,000,000,000.00) IN THE 2014 GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS FUND TO AID THE VICTIMS OF SUPER TYPHOON 'YOLANDA' AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROVINCES OF LEYTE, SAMAR, ILOILO, CEBU, PALAWAN AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AFFECTED

RESOLUTION URGING THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE (BIR) TO IMPLEMENT TWO-FISCAL YEAR MORATORIUM ON ALL KINDS OF TAXES TO AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN SEVERELY AFFECTED BY SUPERTYPHOON YOLANDA

RESOLUTION URGING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY IN AID OF LEGISLATION ON THE POSSIBILITY OF A LOAN MORATORIUM FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR AND DEBT RESTRUCTURING TO HELP LOCALITIES, ENTITIES AND SPECIFICALLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS STRUCK BY THE RECENT CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT TO EXPAND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CASH-FOR-WORK PROGRAM TO INCLUDE FAMILIES AFFECTED BY TYPHOON

RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (DFA), NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE (NSO), AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ISSUING OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS EVIDENCING IDENTITY AND OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION (E.G. PASSPORTS, BIRTH CERTIFICATES, CLEARANCES, CERTIFICATIONS AND THE LIKE), TO WAIVE THEIR FEES FOR THE VICTIMS OF SUPER TYPHOON

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORTED LACK OF PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES IN IDENTIFYING DEAD BODIES LEFT IN THE WAKE OF TYPHOON YOLANDA

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE ALLEGED NEED TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THE GIVING OF SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS TO STUDENTS SEVERELY AFFECTED BY CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORTED NEED TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL SERVE AS EVACUATION CENTERS CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING NATURAL CALAMITIES, SUCH AS MASSIVE TYPHOONS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON PROGRAMS AND MEASURES TO PROTECT WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION IN EVACUATION CENTERS DURING TIMES OF NATURAL AND MAN-MADE CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE STUDY OF THE 'MARSHALL PLAN' IN THE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT AND SPEEDY RECONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION AND REVIVAL OF THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSRY AND ECONOMY OF YOLANDA-STRUCK AREAS

RESOLUTION URGING THAT A STUDY BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE BACKING UP AND STORING/ARCHIVING OF GOVERNMENT RECORDS AND FILES TO AVOID LOSS AND DESTRUCTION IN TIMES OF NATURAL CALAMITIES AND CATASTROPHES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON REPORTS THAT RELIEF GOODS ARE EITHER LOCKED UP OR SOLD FOR PROFIT BY LOCAL OFFICIALS RATHER THAN RIGHTFULLY DISTRIBUTED TO VICTIMS OF TYPHOON YOLANDA

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, TO STRENGTHEN LAWS TO ENSURE THE EFFICIENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF GOVERNMENT DISASTER RELIEF PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL AID, FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT BUNKHOUSES BEING DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS IN LEYTE AND EASTERN SAMAR THAT ARE MEANT FOR THE VICTIMS OF SUPERTYPHOON YOLANDA ARE OVERPRICED AND DO NOT COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS TO INVESTIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, THE ALLEGED SUBSTANDARD AND OVERPRICED BUNKHOUSES BUILT FOR THE SURVIVORS OF SUPERTYPHOON 'YOLANDA' IN THE VISAYAS REGION, AND TO INSTITUTE CORRECTIVE MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THOSE DISPLACED BY THE SAID CATASTROPHE

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, THE STATUS OF THE FUNDS CONTRIBUTED BY INTERNATIONAL AS WELL AS LOCAL DONORS TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUS) IN THE VISAYAS REGION DEVASTATED BY TYPHOON YOLANDA, AND TO DETERMINE THE CONCRETE PLAN OF ACTION FOR THE COMPLETE REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE AFFECTED LGUS USING THE DONATED FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND CULTURE AND THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE NON-RELEASE OF FUNDS FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SEVERELY DAMAGED BY TYPHOON YOLANDA AND EARLIER CALAMITIES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE RECENT COA AUDIT REPORT THAT DUE TO INADEQUATE PLANNING, THE OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE ONLY UTILIZED A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF THE TOTAL AVAILABLE QUICK RESPONSE FUND FOR CY 2013 FOR TYPHOON YOLANDA THAT DEPRIVED THE DISASTER/CALAMITY VICTIMS OF THEIR BASIC SUBSISTENCE NEEDS

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE ALLEGED GHOST DELIVERIES OF RELIEF PURCHASED WITH THE P25-MILLION PORK BARREL ALLOTMENTS OF TWO PARTY-LIST LAWMAKERS MEANT FOR VICTIMS OF CALAMITY IN ISABELA PROVINCE IN 2013

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORT THAT FILIPINO CHILDREN ORPHANED DURING SUPER TYPHOON YOLANDA STILL STRUGGLE WITH TRAUMA A YEAR AFTER THE CALAMITY

RESOLUTION URGING THE SENATE COMMITTEES ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND CULTURE, CLIMATE CHANGE, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MASS MEDIA, AND OTHER APPROPRIATE SENATE COMMITTEES TO STUDY MECHANISMS THAT WOULD PROMOTE AWARENESS ON EFFECTIVE DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE WITH THE END IN VIEW OF EDUCATING FILIPINOS ON DISASTER RISK AWARENESS AND HELP THEM RESPOND APPROPRIATELY BASED ON SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE EARTHQUAKE AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN GREATER METRO MANILA IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND DISASTER RESILIENCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORT THAT CAGAYAN PROVINCE HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER A STATE OF CALAMITY DUE TO THE MASSIVE IMPACT OF A DRY SPELL ON THE CORN INDUSTRY IN THE AREA

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PROPER SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT AN INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE REPORT THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS FOURTH AMONG COUNTRIES MOST VULNERABLE TO NATURAL DISASTERS