said a decision has been made to place a Cabinet member in charge of each region affected by intense rainfall. The aim is to coordinate actions to respond to emergencies caused by heavy precipitation.
During a press conference held alongside other ministers on Wednesday evening, following her briefing at the National Emergency Operations Center (COEN), the high-ranking official said the measure was agreed upon during a meeting with regional governors.
The Cabinet chief explained that the decision aims to coordinate responses and identify what each region needs to address the emergency effectively.
The head of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) said the government has been taking action against intense rainfall since the outset.
Miralles added that the first Council of Ministers session approved supreme decrees declaring a state of emergency, allowing regional governors and mayors to respond more swiftly to the crisis.
"One of the agreements reached with the governors is that, as of today, a minister responsible for each region has been designated. The governors know which minister has been assigned to their respective region," she stated.
The Cabinet chief indicated that ministers will serve as coordinators to address the population's needs and those of sectors such as transport, housing, agriculture, trade, and others.
Ministers will be deployed to the three regions currently most affected: Tumbes, Piura, and Lambayeque from Thursday to Saturday, Miralles announced.
The Prime Minister added that, in the case of Arequipa, she and several ministers were in the region earlier on Wednesday alongside President Jose Maria Balcazar to coordinate actions in response to the emergency.
Miralles said the Cabinet member in charge of the area is Agrarian Development and Irrigation Ministry's head, Felipe Meza.
In turn, Minister Meza recalled they met with the regional governor and local authorities during the visit to Arequipa.
"We have also gathered and received information on the requests made by each of the region's authorities," he indicated, adding that he will work in close coordination with all authorities.
Support for districts
At another point, the Prime Minister announced that, as part of assistance to affected areas, a budget allocation of S/100,000 (about US$29,735) has been ordered for each impacted district, to be disbursed through the Fund for Interventions in the Event of Natural Disasters (Fondes).
"There is also something very important, which is the Fondes. This fund was created so that regional and local governments that submit and generate all required documentation and established procedures can receive support, starting in this initial phase with S/100,000 for each district declared under a state of emergency," she stated.
The Cabinet chief said this funding is added to other measures, including tax relief and extensions of compliance deadlines, so that businesses are not adversely affected by the impacts of a complex weather event.
Moreover, the government's spokeswoman announced that coordination will take place with the Congress of the Republic in the shortest time possible to request a vote of confidence.
The Prime Minister reiterated that the Cabinet is focused on addressing emergencies caused by intense rainfall, public security, and the General Elections.
"Those are the priorities," Miralles emphasized.
Lastly, the government's spokeswoman said the possible postponement of the start of the school year due to intense rainfall has not yet been decided, although many governors have requested that the issue be evaluated.
"What we have agreed is that, together with the coordinating minister, we will assess the information on the damage and coordinate with the affected families. It is an issue that is still under evaluation," she noted.
(END) HTC/FHG/MVB