By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday assured the public that the government will continue to provide various forms of assistance to all those affected by recent calamities until they recover from their aftermath.
Speaking at the Nursery Elementary School in Masbate City, the President vowed sustained relief and recovery efforts in Masbate, which was among the hardest hit by Typhoon Opong last week.
“Huwag kayo pong mag-alala, hindi kayo basta’t maiiwanan na lang. Kahit na nakadaan na ‘yung bagyo ay nandito pa rin ang inyong pamahalaan. Hindi po kami aalis dito hanggang lahat ng evacuees, lahat ng ating mga tinamaan ng bagyo ay nakatayo na, nakaahon na,” Marcos Jr. said.
“At ‘yan po ang aming hangarin ay laging makapag-serbisyo pagka lalo na ganitong panahon, panahon ng bagyo ay kailangan po natin talagang tulungan,” he added.
The President led the distribution of various forms of aid in Masbate, including family food packs (FFPs), hygiene kits, malongs, 10-meter laminated sacks, and water filtration kits from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); “chari-timba” containing grocery items from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO); and hot meals along with mobile kitchen services from the Philippine Red Cross.
The DSWD also distributed P10,000 each to 600 families, who are beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
As of 6:00 a.m. today, the DSWD has distributed a total of 373,339 boxes of FFPs to LGUs across the country affected not just by Opong, but also by tropical cyclones Mirasol and Nando, as well as the southwest monsoon (habagat).
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region V handed two checks worth over P34.8 million to the provincial government of Masbate, which will benefit about 6,455 beneficiaries of the Livelihood Assistance and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) in 11 municipalities.
The President also turned over two Starlink units to Nursery Elementary School to provide internet access to displaced residents taking temporary shelter in the evacuation center.
According to the Chief Executive, the Department of Health (DOH) had also deployed medical teams in Masbate to ensure the health and safety of evacuees and other affected individuals.
He also vowed that damaged schools will be restored within one month to avoid learning disruptions. According to local government officials, about 806 schools in Masbate were destroyed by Opong.
Meanwhile, the national government has deployed generator sets to provide electricity in the province while restoration of power is ongoing.
On Tuesday, Department of Energy (DOE) Sec. Sharon Garin visited the province to inspect and assess the damage caused by Opong to energy infrastructure. Garin assured local officials and residents that the entire energy sector is fully mobilized to restore electricity “at the soonest possible time.”
Marcos likewise ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to download P100 million worth of Local Government Support Fund for Masbate to help in rehabilitation efforts.
“Patuloy po ito. Huwag kayong mag-alala patuloy po ang suporta ng pamahalaan hangga’t nangangailangan kayo. Kahit na matagalan tayo nang kaunti dahil hindi pa ninyo naaayos ang inyong mga tahanan, naka-support na kami,” he stressed.
The President was accompanied by DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian, Education Sec. Sonny Angara, PCSO General Manager Mel Robles, DOLE Sec. Bienvenido Laguesma, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairperson Don Artes, Public Works Sec. Vince Dizon, and Masbate Gov. Richard Kho.
-jpv
