Ping aims to be PH's 'Mr. Fix-it'

MANILA - Former senator and now rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson is taking a page from an Indonesian technocrat in managing the multibillion-peso drive to rehabilitate areas destroyed by super typhoon "Yolanda." In a press briefing, Lacson said he would like to follow the example set by veteran technocrat Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, known as Indonesia's "Mr Fix-it" for his ability to cut through red tape. Kuntoro, director of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR), is widely credited for spearheading the rehabilitation of Aceh after the 2004 tsunami and earthquake. Lacson said his role as rehabilitation czar aims to do the same thing in Yolanda-hit areas. "You must be able to coordinate all the efforts and stakeholders, not just government but non-government, foreign donors, local donors, lahat ng may kinalaman sa sinalanta. You have to be able to coordinate all of them," he said. The former senator defended the government's delayed response to the "Yolanda" disaster, saying that the storm's intensity was unprecedented. He said that while that is no excuse, the Aquino administration is now moving in the right direction in terms of relief and rehabilitation. He also said he expects national government to pull out of reconstruction efforts in typhoon-hit areas after 90% of the job is done. The rest of the rehabilitation will be handled by the local government, he said. "The priority is to get things done. That is the goal. Kailangan kumpleto yung background mo, yung datos mo," he said. ANC, December 2, 2013