Coming from a calamity-stricken province himself, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez proposed a measure to protect the progress of Bohol and sustain its top spot in the tourism roadmap.

Romualdez pointed out that once House Bill 3486 which he filed becomes a law will be advantageous to Bohol.

Through House Bill 3486, Romualdez proposed for the creation of Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (DDPEM) to help local government units (LGUs) in preparing for and responding to calamities and disasters.

“We need to protect the progress made by Bohol as a popular international tourist destination by becoming disaster-resilient,” according to Romualdez.

In House Bill 3486, DDPEM will replace the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Romualdez noted that the current set-up has been vulnerable to consequences of the bureaucratic red tape that ‘caused delays in the delivery of immediate assistance to the victims’.

The new department will significantly “reduce, if not totally eliminate, the bureaucratic red tape”, he added.

Romualdez meet Gov. Edgar Chatto at 1 p.m. today.

Prior to his meeting with the governor, Romualdez will be interviewed live over top-rated DYRD Inyong Alagad, and will meet the Bohol media at the MetroCentre Hotel.

Romualdez calls on the national government to fast-track the reconstruction efforts in Bohol after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the province on October 15, 2013.

“More than two years after that devastating earthquake, the pace of rehabilitation and reconstruction in the province has been excruciatingly slow,” according to Romualdez.

The congressman of Leyte, who is running for senator, cited a report of the Commission on Audit (COA) stating that only 12 of the 1,079 rehabilitation projects under the P2.413-Billion Bohol Earthquake Assistance (BEA) Fund have been completed as of December 31, 2014.

Romualdez, however, extolled the Boholanos for their resilience in rising from the tragedy of the October 2013 earthquake and the impact of Supertyphoon Yolanda on the province.

“But because many people and organizations from here and abroad came to your aid and showed malasakit for your suffering, you were able to start rebuilding your homes and your lives,” Romualdez said.

The Leyte congressman commended the Chatto-Lim administration for the promotion of agro-industry as one of the pillars of economic development of the province, along with tourism and information technology.

On the other hand, Romualdez finds if inspiring that presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte continues to lead in the surveys in Bohol conducted by radio stations.

“Mayor Duterte and I have a shared vision. We both espouse the return of compassion or malasakit in governance,” Romualdez, whose senatorial bid is supported by Duterte, said.

“We want to be able to commiserate with the suffering and plight of others so that we find effective solutions to our nation’s problems and hardships,” he added.