RECOMMENDATIONS

• The rehabilitation of trade and industry in Bicol especially in the adversely affected provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Sorsogon requires interventions in two critical areas, namely: finance and retooling for alternative sources of income and raw materials.

The menu of interventions for improving the financing capacity of entrepreneurs are:

• Moratorium on existing loans;

• Condonation on interest and penalty charges;

• Deferment of payment of ITR/mayor's permit and other taxes;

• Assistance in fund sourcing;

• Identify sources of loans for relending to be administered through industry associations;

• Network with LGUs and other financing institutions for possible sources of fund;

• Identification of alternative sources of livelihood/income generating projects; and

• Training program for the use of alternative raw materials

• The magnitude of the devastation in Bicol in terms of human toll and need for emergency response highlights the need for upgrading essential coordination capacities in the region which is exposed to frequent natural calamities and ensuring that the risk of any future disasters be minimized. One mechanism for this is to delineate the roles of  and coordination among stakeholders (individuals, communities, local government units, national government agencies and civil society organizations). An equally important and urgent intervention is to fund and put in place the required technology and facilities for improving the forecasting and warning systems of the LGUs' disaster coordinating councils and concerned line agencies (i.e. PhiVolcs and PAGASA)

• The time between identification of an impending disaster and organizing an appropriate action by the communities should be shortened. This will require an improvement in the technological monitoring system, and the integration of the same with a regional or worldwide system. All the community level, information for community-based warning systems should be established. Strategies could include integration of disaster risk reduction and management techniques in the teaching curricula, in civil servant training programs and community-based projects. This will promote awareness of how to act in the event of a disaster.

• Strengthen the enforcement of land use ordinances and settlements regulations by the LGUs especially those in identified hazard prone areas.

• Livelihood programs supporting either the re-establishment of former livelihood or a shift to an alternative economic activity should focus on the provision of access to capital, distribution of relevant tools, equipment and training.

• Livelihood programs should seriously engage community participation to ensure sustainability and equitable distribution of benefits. Such activities should be implemented without delay.

• There is a need to solicit assistance from other sources given the huge requirement for a recovery vis-à-vis available resources in government. An advocacy plan for the rehabilitation of Bicol needs to be designed and implemented.

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