Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno ordered on Saturday all local officials, especially in calamity-stricken areas, to map out permanent disaster control and rescue plans following the devastations left by tropical storm “Ondoy” in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and typhoon “Pepeng” in Northern Luzon.

“They were given one week to prepare and submit the rescue plans. These rescue plans will be the ones that will be used every time there is impending weather disturbances that threatens their respective areas,” said Puno in an interview in Camp Crame.

Puno met on Saturday with local chief executives of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, particularly those swept by massive flooding, in Camp Crame in Quezon City to discuss a permanent solution for calamities that would hit the country.

“Our purpose is to come up with a new disaster control plan because after typhoon Ondoy, we saw a different profile to the disasters that we will face in the future. We used to focus on relief and rehabilitation but now we saw after Ondoy that we need to also focus on rescue operations,” said Puno.

“These regional plans will then be submitted to the Office of the President and the National Disaster and Coordinating Council (NDCC),” he added.

Part of the disaster control measures, Puno revealed, is the identification of strategic areas where government assets and personnel that will be used in rescue operations will be prepositioned before any weather disturbance would strike.

“This is to enable the government to swiftly and effectively respond during times of calamities,” he said.

Puno said that the PNP, for its part, will deploy 75 new rubber boats in police stations located in endangered areas in various cities and municipalities in Metro Manila.

The official said there is a need to solicit the close cooperation and coordination with the local chief executives since they are in the best position to determine what specific measures and assets needed in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

And since the government has only P2-billion budget for calamities every year, Puno said local government units would be of big help in filling up the gap in terms of budgetary constraint for relief and rehabilitation efforts.

“Local calamity funds, which when pooled, would total P21.55 billion, could also be tapped to augment the national government’s ongoing relief and rehabilitation operations,” said Puno.

For his part, Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, who is also the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and League of Cities, recommended that the DILG come up with a comprehensive list of LGUs in need of assistance during times of calamity to effectively distribute local calamity funds to them.

ULAP, he said, is ready with P1 billion in local calamity funds for the use of  disaster-hit LGUs.

During Saturday’s meeting, Puno belied criticisms that the mayors in cities and municipalities battered by Ondoy should be suspended for doing nothing that resulted in the massive flooding.

“This is not the time to blame each other. We have an enormous problem that needs to be addressed,” said Puno.

Majority of the local officials present recommended the relocation of informal settlers living near esteros and waterways to prevent a repeat of the massive flooding in several parts of Metro Manila triggered by Ondoy.

They also recommended the need to establish a plan to control traffic during times of calamity to prevent road congestion that could hamper rescue and relief efforts.