President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is satisfied with the government’s swift disaster response and coordination that helped minimize casualties during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong), Malacañang said Tuesday.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the President is pleased with how government agencies and local government units handled Uwan’s impact, which left only six reported deaths despite its destructive strength.
“Ang mga nangyayaring kalamidad at sakuna minsan hindi po natin maiiwasan. Nangyayari ito nang hindi natin ginugusto (Disasters and calamities are sometimes unavoidable. They happen beyond our control),” Castro told reporters in a Palace press briefing.
“Yung mga paghahanda po na ipinapakita ng mga ahensiya na nakakapagsagip ng mga tao mula sa peligro, nakikita po ng Pangulo ang magandang ginagawa ng ating mga ahensya (The President sees the good work of agencies whose preparedness saved people from danger),” she added.
Castro said the Department of Energy (DOE) has already restored electricity in 454 out of 712 affected municipalities, or over 60 percent of all storm-hit areas, citing a report from Energy Secretary Sharon Garin.
She added that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), led by Secretary Henry Aguda, reported that most cell sites and internet connections are now back online—82 percent for Smart, 77 percent for Globe, 63 percent for DITO, and 79 percent for Converge.
Cabinet deployment, 24/7 clearing ops
The Palace said Marcos had earlier directed round-the-clock road clearing operations under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and dispatched Cabinet officials to lead relief and rehabilitation work in provinces battered by Uwan and Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi).
Among them were DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian in Catanduanes overseeing food distribution, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa in Leyte leading medical response, Education Secretary Sonny Angara in Negros Occidental inspecting damaged schools, and Energy Secretary Sharon Garin monitoring power restoration.
‘Uwan’ reentry
Castro said the President continues to monitor preparations as PAGASA warned of Uwan’s possible reentry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
The weather bureau said Uwan will possibly reenter PAR on Wednesday night and make landfall in Taiwan’s southwestern coast before weakening into a remnant low.
“Hindi pa rin titigil ang ating mga ahensya at ang Pangulo. Ibibigay ang tulong upang maiwasan ang mga maaaring disgrasya (Our agencies and the President will not stop. Assistance will continue to prevent further disasters),” the Palace official said.
Uwan, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gustiness of up to 230 kph, made landfall in Dinalungan, Aurora on Sunday night, bringing destructive winds, flooding, and landslides that displaced hundreds of thousands across Luzon.
Despite the devastation, Marcos said preemptive evacuations “made all the difference” as these significantly reduced potential casualties.
