CITING the need to ensure the first responders’ readiness and capabilities against chemical attacks, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada underscored the need to allocate funds in next year’s national budget.

Estrada noted the lack of appropriation in the proposed P6.352 trillion national budget for mass casualty events involving chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents and countering weapons of mass destruction operations.

“Can they respond to the people kung saka-sakaling may ganung klaseng insidente?” the chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security asked during the Senate’s plenary deliberations on the proposed P265.98 billion budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) for 2025.

Estrada, who sponsored last November 6 his Senate Bill No. 2871, or the proposed Chemical Weapons Prohibition Act inquired about the capability of the defense establishment in dealing with CBRN threats and countering weapons of mass destruction operations.

SBN 2871 seeks to outlaw activities related to the use and manufacture of chemical weapons.

“Do you think the Philippines is well prepared for any eventuality?” he asked Sen. Ronald dela Rosa who was defending the budget allocation for the defense sector.

When asked to recall an incident of a chemical weapons attack, Dela Rosa narrated to Estrada the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack where members of the cult Aum Shinrikyo released sarin gas, a highly toxic nerve agent, in the subway trains during rush hour, killing 13 people and leaving over a thousand others injured from temporary vision problems, paralysis, and even permanent damage.

“Kasi kung hindi natin popondohan ito, balewala itong batas na ipinapanukala natin. If this will not be funded, the bill which I already sponsored on the floor, mababalewala ito. I just hope and pray na wala naman mangyayaring ganito sa ating bansa today and in the near future,” he said.

Estrada pointed out that in the three decades since the country became a signatory to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Philippines has yet to fulfill its obligation to the treaty designed to eliminate chemical weapons.

“This Senate concurred in the ratification of the CWC but we have not approved the national legislation needed to fully implement the provisions of this important international treaty,” he said.

He stressed that the enactment of SB 2871 which defines offenses, sets penalties, and outlines enforcement procedures related to the chemical industry is obligated under the CWC.

In further scrutinizing the DND budget, Estrada also pressed for the upgrading of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center, popularly known by its old name V. Luna General Hospital, to ensure the provision of comprehensive tertiary health care services to active duty soldiers.

Despite allocating 75 percent of its estimated annual income of P100 million for the operations of V. Luna Hospital, Estrada pointed out that the facility remains inadequately equipped with essential medical equipment.

Estrada said he’s willing to propose amendments to allocate additional funding for V. Luna Hospital.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Camille P. Balagtas