Lacson to Resign as Rehab Czar

Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) chief Panfilo Lacson is set to resign from his Cabinet post by February next year.

He added that this will be effective as soon as his office completes the transfer of its post-Yolanda reconstruction and rehabilitation duties to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, report said.

Lacson said that OPARR has already completed its reconstruction job in areas hit by super Typhoon Yolanda.

He also added that he has submitted his letter of irrevocable resignation, which , he said, may take effect either on February 10 or mid-February at the latest, and a proposal for the transfer of OPARR’s duties to President Benigno Aquino III.

But Lacson admitted he has yet to talk to the President about his plan to quit.

Lacson earlier said it is the “perfect time” to expand the NDRRMC’s functions in 2015 because the law creating the council, Republic Act 10121, is set for review next year.

The former PNP chief said that having OPARR transition its accomplishments and best practices to the relevant government agencies by 2015 during the review period will also aid Congress in identifying the required remedial legislation.

He added that this make the Philippines’ response and recovery from disasters faster and more efficient.

Lacson stressed the need for the creation of a permanent body that will handle post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, as typhoons become a normal occurrence in the Philippines annually.

Lacson was appointed by Aquino in December 2013 as presidential assistant to oversee the reconstruction of areas affected by super typhoon Yolanda.

Source: GMA News Online