Governor eyes more federal aid, seeks major disaster declaration for Guam

Lou Leon Guerrero

By Mar-Vic Cagurangan

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has requested President Trump to approve a major disaster declaration for Guam, seeking to secure additional federal assistance for the island's recovery more than a month after Typhoon Bavi passed.

“From the first damage reports to our joint assessments with federal partners, our focus has been on making sure Guam’s needs are thoroughly documented and properly presented,” the governor said.

Typhoon Bavi lashed Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands with powerful winds and heavy rain on July 6, causing power and water outages in the region. Bavi's eyewall directly hit Rota.

According to the governor’s office, Bavi caused “millions of dollars in storm-related impacts," but the actual cost of damage was not currently available.

“The initial damage assessment identified and documented impacts to homes, public infrastructure, utilities, government facilities, and other affected areas to support Guam’s request,” states a press release from the governor’s office.

Guam is currently under a 90-day state of emergency, which the governor declared on July 3 before Bavi's arrival.

Earlier this week, the 38th Guam Legislature unanimously passed the governor’s Bill 1 (9-S), a $13.3 million supplemental appropriation measure, which authorizes $11.3 million for Bavi response efforts. The rest is for childcare subsidies and the airport's financial obligations.

The bill includes a provision mandating the Office of Public Accountability to audit Bavi-related expenditures funded through local appropriations.

“When a storm is bearing down on our island, or has just left it, the instinct to move money quickly is the right instinct," said Sen. Shawn Gumataotao, author of the amendment requiring the audit within 180 days.

"But speed without a paper trail is how good intentions turn into unanswered questions eighteen months later," he added, noting that "our government’s credibility with FEMA remains strained."

As the bill awaits the governor's signature, the administration hopes to supplement local emergency resources with more federal assistance.

According to the governor’s office, the request for presidential declaration of major disaster follows weeks of coordinated damage assessment by the government of Guam alongside village mayors, community organizations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“Submitting this request is an important step forward in our recovery,” the governor said.

“We have done the work necessary to make Guam’s case, and we will continue advocating for every available resource to help our families, communities and island recover and become more resilient," she added.

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Last month, FEMA extended relief assistance to supplement Guam’s and the CNMI's Bavi-related response efforts following Trump's emergency declarations for the territories. FEMA deployed 300 personnel and opened distribution centers filled with emergency supplies.

The governor's office said Guam could expect additional federal assistance to support eligible households and the recovery of public infrastructure and government facilities if Trump approves the new request for a major disaster declaration.

“Our agencies, mayors, community partners, and federal counterparts worked side by side throughout the assessment process to ensure Guam’s impacts were properly documented,” said Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio.

“We will continue working with our federal partners to move the process forward and position Guam to access the programs and resources that can support our recovery," he added.

Guam failed in its earlier attempt to secure more federal funding for Typhoon Sinlaku, which made landfall in mid-April.

FEMA has determined that Sinlaku did not cause damage severe enough to warrant the awarding of aid under the federal individuals and households program to Guam.

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