Imee: Disasters won’t finish, inaction will

In response to disasters like severe tropical storm Kristine [international name Trami], Sen. Imee Marcos filed Senate Bill No. 186, which aims to create the National Resiliency and Disaster Management Authority. The said agency will focus on preparing, giving warnings, responding to and helping communities after calamities.

“If we have a centralized authority for disaster management, we would be able to identify the most vulnerable zones and prepare properly against disasters,” Marcos said, calling for an agency that focuses on leading anything disaster-related.

Marcos emphasized the lack of preparedness and coordination among provinces frequently affected by calamities, particularly in Bicol. “Bicol faces the Pacific, has an active volcano, and is subject to numerous accompanying threats, why hasn't a synchronized national response been established?” the senator questioned.

The victims of severe tropical storm Kristine complained about the power outage, inadequate genset in their area, as well as lifeboats, which causes the delay in delivering water and food supply.

Based on the report, more than 4.2 million individuals were affected, and almost half a million Filipinos were displaced, most of whom went to evacuation centers.

She stressed that creating a centralized authority would streamline disaster response, ensuring more effective delivery of aid and safeguarding livelihoods. “If the budget can’t support a full-scale department yet, let’s start with a single agency that has its own funding, personnel, and authority. The important thing is, we need it now!” Marcos urged.

 

To the midwives’ rescue

Meanwhile, as a response to the challenges faced by midwives in the Philippines, Senator Marcos also filed a senate bill to strengthen and develop the profession, especially those in public health services and rural communities.

“Our midwives often run far-flung RHUs alone, providing essential health services to communities located miles away, despite their singular role of bringing forth life and improving maternal and infant mortality and morbidity,” Marcos said.

Salary raise and provision of additional support to midwives who are in public hospitals and health centers are included in Marcos' senate bill. It aims to improve not only the profession, but the overall quality of service given.

Aside from this, Marcos also shared the importance of her Senate Bill No. 1724, which promotes the implementation of programs and standards which will improve the health and quality of life of employees, including midwives.

Midwives have been seeking higher compensation due to difficulty of their work and shortage in number which have led to burnout and fatigue among them.

Based on studies, the right proportion is supposedly one (1) midwife per five thousand (5,000) individuals in a community, but because of the shortage in midwives, one (1) is now equivalent to eighty thousand (80,000) individuals.

Recently, the 50^th anniversary of the Midwifery Week was observed, which started in 1974 when former President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Proclamation No. 1275, dedicating the third week of October for our midwives.