Malacañang yesterday belied speculations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spent the weekend in Japan after he presided virtually over a full council meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday to discuss relief operations in the wake of severe tropical storm “Paeng.”
“He is not in Japan,” Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil said on Sunday after the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo trended on Twitter.
Also on Sunday, Mr. Marcos was seen having lunch at the Dawang’s Eatery in Laoag City in his home province of Ilocos Norte.
Wearing a baseball cap, a black T-shirt and shorts, the President was joined by his son, Vincent, and Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Manotoc.
“Someone stopped by for a quick lunch. Thank you, President Bongbong Marcos, Sir Vincent Marcos, and Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc for dropping by,” the restaurant said as it posted a photo of the Chief Executive having lunch on its Facebook page.
The NDRRMC has recommended the declaration of a state of calamity nationwide for a period of one year due to the devastation caused by “Paeng.”
Mr. Marcos, who joined via Zoom, gave a flurry of directives to various government agencies, including prioritizing delivering potable water to typhoon victims and restoring power in hospitals and evacuation centers.
A state of calamity would enable the government to tap additional funds for disaster relief and impose a price freeze on basic commodities.
Based on its latest situational report, the NDRRMC said at least 48 people died due to Paeng.
Some 932,077 people or 277,383 families were affected in 2,445 barangays in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga, Bangsamoro, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).