President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. yesterday pledged continued national government support for Cebu province in the aftermath of Typhoon “Tino,” assuring victims that relief, medical aid, and relocation efforts will continue without letup.
The President, who presided over a situation briefing at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, noted that Tino’s devastation came not from strong winds but from torrential rain that overwhelmed flood control systems.
“The damage came from the floods, not the wind. The existing protection structures simply could not handle the amount of water that came down,” Mr. Marcos said.
Mr. Marcos announced the release of cash assistance in the amount of P5,000 for households with partially damaged homes and P10,000 for those whose houses were completely destroyed.
“This will help them start rebuilding their homes and lives,” he said.
During his visit to the province, the President inspected evacuation centers to witness firsthand the progress of relief efforts.
He first visited the Tiltilon Elementary School in Barangay Cotcot, Liloan, one of the areas hardest hit by the typhoon.
The school is serving as an evacuation center for 126 families, or 509 individuals.
Mr. Marcos distributed family food packs, health kits, hygiene kits, and sleeping kits from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), while hot meals were being served to evacuees.
After Liloan, the chief executive then proceeded to the Talisay Sports Academy in Talisay City, which currently shelters 276 families, or 1,110 individuals.
Mr. Marcos also inspected the nearby Mananga Bridge in Talisay City, which sustained damage from flooding.
In a statement following the inspection, the Presidential Communications Office reported that one lane of the crucial bridge remains impassable due to cracks and other structural damage.
Before flying off to Cebu from Manila, the President paid tribute to fallen Philippine Air Force (PAF) personnel at the PAF Mortuary at Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base.
They were part of a six-man Super Huey crew conducting Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) operations in areas affected by Typhoon “Tino” when their aircraft went down.
Meanwhile, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who joined the President during the visit, assured that food and relief aid remain sufficient for all affected residents in Cebu province.
“Our supply is more than enough. We have a repacking center in Cebu that continues to operate. There is already a stockpile, but repacking continues uninterrupted,” Gatchalian said.
The DSWD has so far distributed 69,000 family food packs to various local government units (LGUs), including Cebu City, Mandaue, and Talisay, the areas most affected by Typhoon Tino.
The agency targets to deliver 200,000 food packs to LGUs by Saturday.
Gatchalian also met with Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito Ouano to assure that the national government is committed to helping the city recover from Tino’s devastation.
“We assured him that, upon the directive of the President, DSWD stands ready to augment the needs of the typhoon victims in the city, from family food packs to other essential kits. After this, recovery cash assistance will also be processed,” the DSWD chief said in his social media post on Friday.
The DSWD chief likewise met with Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. to discuss ways to restore normalcy to the hard-hit city.
As this developed, Caritas Philippines, the humanitarian arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), appealed to the faithful to continue helping those affected by the spate of natural calamities, the latest of which was Typhoon Tino.
“We are calling on all Filipinos to unite in faith, charity, and action,” it said. “Let us help one another – volunteer, share what we can, and pray for those affected,” it said in a statement.
