President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered government agencies to immediately start rescue and relief operations in the Bicol region particularly its areas inundated by Tropical Storm Kristine.
In a situation briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, the President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to use the necessary equipment for opening up all the roads and bridges blocked by debris due to landslides.
If the roads are not passable, the President said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should coordinate with the Department of National Defense (DND) for airlifting relief goods, medical equipment and other necessary items for immediate distribution to affected communities.
“We can ask the Coast Guard also. The Coast Guard also plays a part in that naman. So, mag-ready na tayo,” he said.
During the briefing, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said the heavy rains brought by Kristine inundated large areas in Bicol, affecting more than 150,000 residents, based on latest assessment.
In Camarines Sur, local officials said 300 out of 600 barangays are flooded due to the continuous rainfall.
The President also called on the agencies to prepare regions next to be hit by the typhoon.
“I think we can start with — habang lumalayo na [ang bagyo] sa Bicol — Region 5. Pwede na nating gawin lahat ng puwede nating gawin,” President Marcos said.
The President said Filipinos in other regions should be made to prepare for the worst.
“There’s nothing we can do except wait for it (the storm) to pass, give all the warnings that we can give, evacuate as many people as we can. But we really have to… ‘yung tinatawag na just batten down the hatches for a day, and make sure that everybody has what they need, everybody has the emergency supplies,” he said.
The OCD also said it is coordinating with other areas, specifically with Western and Central Visayas regions for the provision of rubber boats to augment rescue efforts in the region.
On the other hand, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian told the President the agency retained the two-million mark in terms of national stockpile, or the total number of stockpiled goods nationwide.
“This was pre-(Typhoon) Carina level. We had a very good run ng production this past couple of weeks, Mr. President, NROC (National Resource Operations Center) is our Pasay hub. So, we have around 176,000. Our Visayas hub has around 250,000. That’s family food packs,” Gatchalian said.
For the Ilocos region, there are more than 93,000 available food packs; Cagayan Valley region with over 109,000; Central Luzon with more than 170,000; and over 101,000 for both Calabarzon and Mimaropa, he added.
At the tail end of Typhoon Carina’s onslaught, Bicol region had close to 162,000 available food packs, Gatchalian pointed out. | PND
