Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr., who is running under the Alyansa Para sa Pagbabago 2025 senatorial slate, commended President Bongbong Marcos Jr. and the leadership of both houses of Congress for the recent enactment of two critical disaster relief laws.
Abalos underscored the significance of the newly signed laws, RA 12076, or the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, and RA 12077, or the Student Loan Payment Moratorium During Disasters and Emergencies Act.
“RA 12076 ensures that our communities have safe and secure places to turn to during disasters, while minimizing the disruption to our children’s education,” Abalos said.
“As mayor, I saw how disasters can quickly displace families, and as DILG secretary, I witnessed how local governments struggled to find safe, adequate spaces for evacuees. This law ensures that every community will be better prepared,” he added.
He said RA 12076 mandates the establishment of fully equipped evacuation centers to provide secure, temporary accommodation to disaster-stricken residents.
These evacuation centers will be disaster-resilient and will have essential facilities like healthcare stations, sleeping areas, and provision for livestock.
The law also mandates prioritizing disaster-prone areas and communities in high-risk status.
On the other hand, RA 12077 aims to provide financial relief to students in calamity-stricken area, allowing the suspension of loan payments during and after emergencies of students of higher education and trainees of technical-vocational programs.
“This law will ease the financial burden on students and help them continue their education despite the challenges posed by disasters,” Abalos said.
“These laws are not just about disaster relief; they are about building a more resilient nation,” he added.
During his two-year stint at the DILG, Abalos implemented the Operation LISTO, its flagship disaster preparedness advocacy program cascaded to the barangay level through the Listo si Kap!, a checklist of pro-active actions taken as preparatory and necessary measures based on the manual of higher LGUs and the disaster preparedness minimum standards.
