MANILA, Philippines — With pleas for help from thousands affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine appearing to overwhelm private and government aid groups, President Marcos has ordered concerned agencies to set up “a conveyor belt of aid” for victims, even as another weather disturbance looms this weekend.
“I want to see a conveyor belt of aid that is constantly delivering aid to the front,” the President said in a statement yesterday.
To speed up and streamline disaster response, Marcos directed Cabinet secretaries to lead relief and rehabilitation work in specific areas.
He also ordered Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to immediately release funds “so that needed resources can be procured expeditiously.”
“The DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) shall rush to all affected areas to provide relief goods, both pre-positioned and new supplies, to augment those provided by the local government units,” the Chief Executive said.
“As soon as weather permits, the DSWD will mobilize the grant of financial aid under existing government programs,” he added.
The President also ordered the “full mobilization” of available personnel and resources of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for relief operations. The Philippine Air Force said it has deployed three of its C-130 aircraft for delivery of relief supplies to the Bicol region.
Other uniformed services such as the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine Coast Guard are placed under the same status, he said.
“I have ordered them to deploy vehicles, aircraft, boats, ships and all other transportation assets for, first rescue, and then relief and rehabilitation. This includes presidential helicopters,” Marcos said.
He also cancelled all personnel leaves, except for medical reasons and those with humanitarian justifications, in the uniformed services.
The PNP said it would utilize three helicopters for search and relief operations, spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said.
“All personnel are required to exert efforts to render humanitarian assistance particularly in affected areas, and mobility assets are ready for deployment if the need arises,” Fajardo said over PTV Bagong Pilipinas.
Fajardo said at least 6,700 police officers were deployed in Bicol, Calabarzon and other areas affected most by Kristine.
Focus on Bicol
At a situation briefing at Malacañang yesterday, the President said government efforts should focus now on Bicol, the area hardest hit by the storm.
“I think we continue to concentrate on Region 5 for now because they are the ones in most need. Everyone is in need but the accessibility problem of Region 5 is a little bit more pronounced than all the other areas,” he said.
Of the 36 towns in Camarines Sur, nine remained fully submerged, Marcos said.
According to Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the Air Force is also assisting in airlifting potable drinking water from Manila Water and Maynilad.
“We have already provided over P111 million in augmentation support to the local government units,” DSWD Assistant Secretary and Disaster Response Management Group head Irene Dumlao said.
“These include not just family food packs (FFPs), but also non-food items (NFIs) such as family, hygiene, kitchen and sleeping kits; water containers and shelter materials like family tents and modular tents, particularly to our evacuees,” she said.
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro told the President he had instructed the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to find an alternative route for vehicles carrying goods, fuel and water from the Bondoc Peninsula to Camarines Sur.
Pangandaman told the President that as of Oct. 24, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund has P1.983-billion balance, of which P1.845 billion could be drawn from the 2024 General Appropriations Act and P139 million from the 2023 continuing appropriations.
From the remaining balance, Pangandaman said there are pending requests for the replenishment of Quick Response Fund (QRF), which shall be done through the issuance of special allotment release orders or SARO, the disbursement document of the budget department.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is requesting a replenishment of P1 billion; the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Philippine National Police, P25 million and the Department of National Defense-OCD, P37.5 million.
She said the DPWH-Office of the Secretary still has roughly 60 percent of its QRF fund for usage, while the DSWD’s fund is “almost finished.”
“I’m in touch with Sec. Rex and just waiting for the request for the balance of QRF that you need. It’s more than, roughly I think P500 million. I’m just waiting for the letter and then we’ll release it within the day,” Pangandaman said,
“Assuming we need more, Mr. President, we still have… I just received a certification from the Bureau of Treasury, Department of Finance, for unprogrammed appropriations. So, assuming we need more funding, Mr. President, we can tap the unprogrammed appropriations,” she said.
Loan for MSMEs
Also at the briefing, acting Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the Small Business (SB) Corp. – the financing arm of the Department of Trade and Industry – has allotted P2 billion for lending to help MSMEs affected by Kristine recover.
“A lot of businesses are destroyed, a lot of businesses are affected. So what do we do after? Sometimes we always think of what happens during the situation. But after is also a very important situation that we must look at, which is how do the businesses be able to move on,” she said.
She said a small business can avail itself up to P300,000 worth of loan under the SB Corp.’s enterprise rehabilitation financing. Borrowers will not be required to have collateral under this facility.
“You just have to prove you have a business that is operating and for this time, you are part of a region or you’re part of the town affected by the typhoon,” Roque said.
She said the loans are interest-free for the first year. For the second year, there will be a one percent interest rate per month. “So for the businesses affected, please avail of this fund,” Roque said.
Aside from helping MSMEs, she said the DTI continues to monitor the price and supply of basic necessities in typhoon-hit areas.
A 60-day price freeze on basic necessities is in effect in areas that have been declared under a state of calamity.
She said the DTI is also coordinating with supermarkets to make sure basic necessities and food products are available.
“We will really go after those that are profiteering from this calamity,” she said. “We will do everything we can to be able to make the businesses especially MSMEs bounce back from this.”
Aerial inspection
After the situation briefing, Marcos boarded a helicopter to inspect the flooding in parts of Metro Manila, Cavite and Batangas.
He was joined by some Cabinet officials, including Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel and Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.
During the situation briefing, weather forecaster Jun Galang of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that another tropical cyclone was expected to enter the country this weekend.
“So, possible it will move closer (to the country) by next week, either Oct. 29 or 30, it will have a close approach in Northern Luzon,” Galang said.
He said PAGASA was looking at two scenarios for the new cyclone: one is it will “recurve” and the other is it will move toward extreme Northern Luzon.
Marcos expressed sympathy for the victims of Kristine and commended the “resilience, leadership and proactive” measures taken by the LGUs for their constituents.
Kristine left 46 persons dead, seven injured and 20 missing based on latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. – Louella Desiderio, Emmanuel Tupas, Michael Punongbayan, Sheila Crisostomo, Ric Sapnu
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