MANILA - Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero called off a scheduled announcement on Monday of his reported plan to run for president in 2010, saying this wasn't the time to talk politics with northern Luzon, central Luzon, southern Tagalog and even Metro Manila still reeling from two typhoons and massive floods.

Escudero said the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) would instead meet Monday night to discuss a package of measures to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of people who have lost family members, homes, property and livelihood after the floods.

Foremost is a P12-billion special appropriation that Escudero is pushing, supported by NPC congressmen.

Escudero also proposed that:
 
1) instead of extending the semester, the education department automatically give a passing grade this semester for all elementary and high school students in affected areas, in as much as their schools won't be rehabilitated for some time yet;

2) the agriculture department provide fertilizer and seed subsidy to farmers to allow them to go back to their livelihood as well as resume food production immediately;

3) the labor department use its emergency employment fund;

4) the GSIS, NSO, PhilHealth, SSS, Pag-IBIG, and similar agencies put up a one-stop shop in calamity-stricken areas to facilitate processing of lost or destroyed official documents, to enable the public to make emergency loans and insurance claims;

5) the Department of Public Works and Highways, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Engineering Brigade, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) prioritize the repair of dikes along the Agno River to forestall flooding in case the dams need to release water again.

Escudero said he will also assist in the filing of a class action/tort suit for damages against the operators of the San Roque Dam for waiting till the last minute to release billions of liters of water, causing massive floods in the northern Luzon area. 

Pressed about his political plans, Escudero said he preferred to have his "eyes on the ball" in addressing the disaster situation.

Asked whether he thought the present disaster situation would be daunting enough for anyone to reconsider his presidential ambitions, Escudero said: "Mas namuo ang aking desisyon dahil sa nakita kong maling paghawak sa krisis na ito...Hindi dapat takot ang maramdaman (ng susunod na pangulo) kundi ituring ito bilang hamon."

Asked when is the right time to formally announce his presidential bid, Escudero said before the November 30 deadline of filing of certificate candidacy.