Preemptive evacuation during calamities will save lives, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.

"Preemptive evacuation is always a good idea. Keep the people safe, take them out of the area of danger, then you're way ahead," Marcos Jr. said in a situation briefing with selected regional line agency directors and local chief executives of Antique.

"Evacuating people could be really hard. That's really a problem. But you have to do it even if people will get mad at you. Because if they are drowning, there's a flash flood, landslide, if they are not there, they will not be taken away," he added.

Residents who refuse to evacuate, he said, cannot be blamed because they worry about the properties or livelihood they are leaving behind.

"Evacuation is a problem everywhere you go. They don't want to leave their house. Of course, you cannot blame them…They don't want to leave their houses…But you have to find a way to convince them, to bring them to the evacuation center," he added.

He added: "We just stay with that procedure and that procedure will at least mitigate the effects of any disaster."

"So those are the effective things… I wanted to point out that that's a very important part of preparing for a typhoon is to evacuate," he said.

Meanwhile, Department of the Interior and Local Government Region VI Assistant Regional Director Maria Calpiza Sardua reported that the causes of death in Antique based on police reports are drowning, being swept by a strong current, flash flood, landslide, hypothermia, cardiac arrest, difficulty in breathing, and electrocution.

In Western Visayas, Sardua said there are a total of 42 casualties or the combined number of dead and missing individuals.

BBM gives aid to Antiqueños

Marcos personally led the distribution of financial assistance to victims of severe tropical storm "Paeng."

"I am here again not for the best reason, but it is good to be back here in Antique."

"It's good to see all of you and know what the needs of the province are," Marcos said, addressing the residents affected by the typhoon in San Jose de Buenavista town.

Delighted by his presence, "Paeng"-affected residents welcomed the President with loud cheers and chants.

Responding to their cheers, Marcos said: "Thank you very, very much for the support you have given me. All I can repay for your continued support and love for me, my family, and this administration is the good work we will do to help us all recover."

"Like what we always say during the campaign: We will rise together again. That's why we continue to recover here in the Philippines."

Malacañang said more than a thousand recipients from different municipalities within the province receive P5,000 cash aid each from the government.

Also distributed to typhoon victims were the relief aid boxes, containing food items and hygiene kits.

Marcos assured that the government will always be there ready to help in times of emergency.

"I assure you that the government will always be there even if you don't see us. When there is a typhoon like this, we are well-informed of the circumstances and the affected individuals. We are doing everything that we can," he said.

Around 100 beneficiaries receive livelihood grants under the Department of Social Welfare and Development's Sustainable Assistance Program.

Approximately 43,000 families from 500 barangays were affected in Antique when "Paeng" brought torrential rains that caused severe flooding over the province, according to Malacañang.

The Chief Executive also conducted an aerial inspection of Antique and nearby towns to personally assess the damage brought by "Paeng."