PHL President visiting and touring areas hit by Odette since Saturday, Dec. 18
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Presidential Proclamation No. 1267 declaring a State of Calamity in six regions namely MIMAROPA (Region 4-b), Western Visayas (Region 6), Central Visayas (Region 7), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Northern Mindanao (Region 10), and CARAGA Region (Region 13).
Duterte, in his Talk to the People on Tuesday night, December 21, said that with the declaration of the state of calamity, the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts could be hastened.
“The declaration of the state of calamity will hasten the rescue and relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including kung saan galing ang tulong — be it outside or ‘yung tayo-tayo lang,” Duterte said.
“At this will also be an effective mechanism to control the prices of goods and commodities in the areas,” he said during his latest public address.
The 76-year old Philippine leader has been visiting and touring areas devastated by Super Typhoon Odette and also made aerial inspections of these places since Saturday. He also made an aerial inspection on Saturday, Dec. 18, of Siargao Island where Odette had its first landfall on Dec. 16.
The super typhoon had made nine landfalls in all from December 16 to 17. On December 16 alone, it made seven landfalls:
1:30 PM: 1st landfall in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte
– 3:10 PM: 2nd landfall in Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands
– 4:50 PM: 3rd landfall in Liloan, Southern Leyte
– 5:40 PM: 4th landfall in Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte
– 6:30 PM: 5th landfall in Pres Carlos Garcia, Bohol
– 7:30 PM: 6th landfall in Bien Unido, Bohol
– 10:00 PM: 7th landfall in Carcar, Cebu
On December 17, it made two more landfalls: in La Libertad, Negros Oriental, its eighth landfall; and in Roxas, Palawan, its ninth landfall.
Directive to release funds for Odette-hit areas-
Duterte vowed to hasten the release of the funds for the typhoon-affected areas, and the signing of the presidential proclamation declaring a state of calamity in these areas would be the start.
“So the process when it comes to money — when money is involved, people in government are afraid because there’s a possibility that they can be sued. But these things presented by (Office of Civil Defense) Usec.(Ricardo) Jalad were the operative act for me to sign the proclamation. That also includes price control,” he said.
Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles, on Wednesday, Dec. 22, said that President Duterte has already ordered the release of the funds to assist all those affected by the super typhoon.
He said that the government will also continue to source out funds to help all those who were affected by the typhoon.
“We all have to help each other. Hindi lamang ang government kundi lahat ng ating mga kababayan. Kami’y nagpapasalamat sa mga kababayan natin, private sector, the private companies, even ordinary Filipino individuals who, on their own, through their own initiatives, or through various efforts have really shown itong Bayanihan spirit to help each other and to help one another,” said Nograles.
He explained that before the declaration of a state of calamity could be made, they had to complete a full assessment of the typhoon’s damage in these areas.
“Before yung declaration of the State of Calamity, we have to have a full assessment of the extent of the damage done by the typhoon. … And then because nakakuha nga tayo ng fuller assessment of the extent of damage done by Typhoon Odette from various agencies and personal visits ni Pangulo sa mga provinces at mga localities, then with that fuller assessment of the damage, yun yung naging basis natin for the declaration of a State of Calamity,” Nograles said.
The Palace official also thanked all those who have pledged to aid the affected areas and families like the Metro Manila mayors who approved a supplemental budget amounting to P100-million to extend assistance to Odette-affected areas.
Nograles also thanked the United Nations and various foreign governments that expressed their sympathies and offered immediate assistance to the Philippines after the onslaught of super typhoon Odette.
He assured that the government is doing all it could to reach out to the affected residents and address their needs, with President Duterte himself visiting these areas.
“The President is doing personal visits, making personal assessments, making personal calls; he’s hands on in everything,” Nograles said.
“Government is on top of the situation. We’re doing everything in terms of budget, the necessary moves, the necessary actions, lahat po yan. And as I said, even the President is making his personal visits. As we speak, the President will be making his visits again to the Dinagat Islands and to Siargao to personally assess the situation and to personally lend a helping hand and to give his Presidential directives to the concerned government agencies,” said Nograles.
(Eagle News Service)