Daily Tribune
President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. delivers his departure speech for his State Visit to Brunei Darussalam and Participation in the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, at Maharlika Presidential Hangar, Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
Yummie Dingding
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has instructed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and other agencies to continue providing immediate assistance to more than 26,000 individuals affected by Typhoon Aghon.
Before leaving Manila for a two-day state visit to Brunei Darussalam on Monday, Marcos reported on the aftermath of Typhoon Aghon, which has severely impacted several regions in the Philippines.
"At present, what we have observed is that Regions IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII have been hit, affecting 12,043 families and 26,726 individuals," Marcos said.
The typhoon has caused significant disruptions in transportation infrastructure, with three airports and 29 seaports becoming non-operational. Furthermore, six cities and towns have experienced power outages or brownouts, and there have been 13 flooding incidents and three rain-induced landslides.
"We have prepared 841 search and rescue retrieval teams from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), the Coast Guard, and the BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection); 465 transportation assets are ready for deployment; and 436 emergency telecommunications equipment ready for deployment because we know the difficulty of delivering relief goods without communication, so we prioritize this," Marcos added.
"Thus, I have instructed the DSWD, the DA (Department of Agriculture), and the DOH (Department of Health) to provide assistance to all those affected by Typhoon Aghon," Marcos said.
Additionally, Marcos told the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to follow up on the necessary infrastructure repairs.
Marcos also said all hands are on deck as the country deals with the effects of Typhoon Aghon. The DSWD provided P1.35 million worth of assistance so far and has a standby fund of P607.9 million.
"Everything we do is in coordination with our LGUs (local government units) since they are always the first responders. They have promptly mobilized their resources, followed immediately by the national government providing assistance, search, and rescue operations," Marcos said.
