Marcos leads relief team to Kristine-hit Batangas

Nearly P110 million in financial aid was delivered by the national government to typhoon Kristine-hit Batangas province on Monday, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the area to assess the situation firsthand.

Six municipalities, namely, Talisay, Laurel, Agoncillo, Cuenca Lemery, and Balete, each received P10 million to aid in their recovery.

The funds came from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, according to the President.

Additionally, each affected individual will receive P10,000 from the Office of the President.

“We understand the pain you are going through, but we hope that with the support we brought today, you can begin to rebuild,” Marcos said.

Alongside the financial assistance, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) distributed construction materials — GI roofing, plywood, lumber and nails.

Marcos visited ground zero in Barangay Sampaloc in Talisay where he attended a memorial mass for the typhoon victims.

Last week, he declared 4 November a National Day of Mourning in memory of those who lost their lives during the storm. Philippine flags across the country and overseas were flown at half-mast.

Marcos also inspected the Bayuyungan Bridge, which connects various barangays across the municipality, emphasizing the urgent need to rebuild bridges and roads.

“I have instructed them to prioritize the construction of these infrastructure and to complete them as soon as possible,” he said.

Marcos highlighted other infrastructure projects for the province, such as the Taal Lake Circumferential Road connecting Laurel, Talisay, and Agoncillo, and the Lobo Malabrigo — San Juan Laiya Road project.

The Bayuyungan Bridge, along with its slope protection, is undergoing inspection, with repairs estimated to cost P150 million.

The Chief Executive called on the government agencies concerned to strengthen the early warning system, flood control master plan, and communications with local government units.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said 559 families received help to repair their damaged homes.

“Upon receiving reports from our regional office on the severe damage to residential structures in Batangas province, we deployed our teams to coordinate with local chief executives and gather data on the number of affected and displaced families,” Acuzar said.

Earlier, the DHSUD handed out cash assistance to 60 families affected by “Kristine” in Daraga, Albay, under the department’s Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP).

Under IDSAP, the DHSUD provides P30,000 for totally damaged houses and P10,000 for partially damaged ones.

Last 26 October, Acuzar ordered key shelter agencies to implement a moratorium on housing loan payments for their members affected by “Kristine.”

The Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund), National Housing Authority, Social Housing Finance Corporation and National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation subsequently implemented a one-month moratorium on loan payments for member-borrowers.