DND OFFICER-IN-CHARGE JOSE FAUSTINO JR.: For the affected population, 1,208 families or 4,606 persons were affected in 57 barangays.
For flights, 13 domestic flights were reported cancelled, sir and some international flights. And we expect these flights to be resumed today sir, the normal flight schedules.
For the status of seaports, 43 ports were reported with suspended operations. A total of 2,882 stranded passengers were also reported. As for the stranded passengers, the LGUs are taking care of the requirements, mga pagkain, sir. And we expect that today, everything will be normal ‘yung…
PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.: Iyon na nga. Those 200 – the LGUs will attend to them habang nandun sila?
SEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Who’s arranging for their passage back or wherever they want to go?
SEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir. Our regional agencies are also there sir, in coordination with the LGUs.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Basically para makauwi na sila or go to wherever they’re going.
SEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right.
SEC. FAUSTINO: For power and communication, shown are specific areas with reported power and communication interruption.
As of last night sir, while we were monitoring the onslaught of typhoon, we were able to contact all the provinces through the AFP and we were able – our administrator of the OCD was also able to talk to the Mayor of Polillo last night, sir. So meaning hindi talaga naputol ‘yung mga communications natin all throughout hanggang – mga dinaanan ng bagyo, tinawagan po natin ito lahat. Yes sir.
In terms of class and work suspension, all government work and school levels in regions NCR, CAR, I, Region II, III, IV-A, and IV-B, and V have been declared as suspended on 26 September 2022, this day sir.
Now for the actions taken, shown are the preparedness actions taken by the NDRRMC which involve weather updating sessions and the activation of the Charlie protocol or the highest level of emergency preparedness. As for the response actions, the emergency operations center and response clusters have been activated. Virtual EOC or emergency operations center briefings were conducted and monitoring is ongoing up to the present.
In terms of public warnings, shown are the total NDRRMC advisories as well as the emergency alert and warning messages issued to the public. As the result — [next slide please] as the result of the pre-disaster risk assessment, the NDRRMC directed for the activation of emergency preparedness and response protocols.
All the regions at high risk have been directed to activate Charlie protocol which is the highest protocol for emergency preparedness. As you can see sir, sa Charlie protocol, all our protocols there have checklist of actions that has to be complied with.
So shown is the checklist of actions for Charlie protocol that must be undertaken by the high-risk regions.
Part of the actions of the NDRRMC is the activation of inter-agency response clusters in anticipation of the impact of ‘Karding.’ Several response clusters have been activated as shown. Also other response clusters are on standby.
For food and non-food items or the cluster — the food and non-food items cluster, led by DSWD, shown is the summary of standby funds and stockpile of family food packs and non-food items. This is over and above ‘yung mga naka-stockpile sa provinces and sa local, sir.
For the health cluster, led by the DOH, a total of 83 million worth of assorted drugs and medicines, medical supplies and other commodities were made available and prepositioned in the said regions. Also, a total of 1,356 medical responders are available.
For logistics led by the OCD, shown are the total available transportation assets for air, land, and sea operations. These assets are committed by various agencies to include partners from the World Food Programme.
Also, part of the logistics operation is road clearing. Shown is the summary of road clearing and engineering assets by the DPWH.
For the search and rescue and retrieval cluster led by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, shown is the total number of teams, personnel deployed, and on standby.
For the education cluster led by the Department of Education, [next slide, yes] schools being used as evacuation centers are monitored and supervised, as shown sir, the number of schools.
Next is the emergency telecommunications led by the DICT, shown is the summary of communications resources deployed, the quantity and areas of deployment.
Lastly, for the law and order cluster led by the PNP, shown is the deployment summary. Notably, no reported looting incidents and other related violence against women and children were reported as of this report, sir.
Here are some of the action photos for reference. As ways ahead, the NDRRMC will continue to monitor the situation and anticipate whatever needs that may arise and based on our monitoring and coordination with the regional DRRM councils, there are no pressing needs as of the moment and the response requirements are generally managed at the ground.
That ends my presentation and my briefing, sir. Thank you and good morning.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you very much, Sec. Faustino. All right. I think as you might have noticed, I put great emphasis into ‘yung prepositioning to prepare as much as possible. Kaya’t maganda, I’m happy to note that we have many assets, we have mga sasakyan. ‘Yung mga goods, whatever it is that we will need, pati na ‘yung ano – they are already available na ready to go.
Ngayon, I think what we have to do now is how do we deploy those assets. Nandiyan na sila. Saan ang pinaka-importante, pinaka-critical.
Just to ano, just to get really baseline here, do we have a representative from DOST, PAGASA?
All right, could you show us very clearly where exactly the track of the typhoon was? What the winds were, velocity of travel, et cetera, et cetera? Para alam talaga natin kung saan ‘yung mga dapat natin tingnan na lugar, kasi ‘yun talaga ang dinaanan ng bagyo. And then, will give us an idea of how the strong the typhoon was as it passed that area. Para alam natin kung malaki ‘yung damage.
OFFICIAL: Naimbag nga bigat. (Good morning)
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Naimbag nga bigat. (Good morning)
OFFICIAL: With your permission sir, I would like to request Administrator Vic Malano of PAGASA.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. Sure.
OFFICIAL: Thank you, sir.
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo nga eh.
PAGASA ADMINISTRATOR VICENTE MALANO: Magandang umaga po, His Excellency Bongbong Marcos Jr. po. May I present to you what we were doing during the passage of typhoon ‘Karding.’ [next slide please]
Here is the animation of the satellite that we are receiving every 10 minutes that we received at our office in PAGASA through our receiving stations during the passage of ‘Karding.’
This is the latest satellite, 5 a.m. that we have just received this morning. The circle there is the position of typhoon ‘Karding’ during 5 a.m. It is West of Santa Cruz, Zambales already and it’s going towards the West Philippine Sea, exiting probably during this night in the Philippine Area of Responsibility. [Next slide, please]
And this is the track of the typhoon that we have been monitoring during the past, starting in 24. It developed inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, but on Wednesday, [inaudible] the forecast of a low-pressure area that was developing into a tropical cyclone then into a typhoon on Wednesday.
Then on Thursday or Friday, we have conducted a press conference regarding this weather disturbance. [Next slide please]
The timeline is like this, the timeline was we issued first warning on September 22, that was on Thursday. We showed a generally westward track with a landfall scenario and will cross Central Luzon, Cordillera area by September 24, that was yesterday.
On September 24, landfall was forecasted on Sunday, yesterday evening with an intensity of typhoon category. On September 25, that was yesterday, we updated the typhoon or the tropical cyclone into a super typhoon category. We call this as explosive intensification, which is about 65 kilometers per hour increase from the previous 24 – from the previous status.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right sige. At least now, we have a good idea. Wala ng kasunod ‘to? There’s nothing — there are no?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Wala. Sa ngayon, wala po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: There are no weather formations coming up from the East?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Wala po tayo nakita.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. So we can…
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Pero meron tayong satellite — radar image na nakikita po natin from eksaktong talaga kung saan siya dumaan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. O, sige maliwanag naman ‘yung track niya. Hindi naman siguro babalik ‘yan, kagaya ni…
Now, I think what we need to do now is to assess what the… [inaudible] Can we hear from DSWD? Mga report ninyo from the areas na… [inaudible]
DSWD SEC. ERWIN TULFO: Yes, sir. Good morning, Mr. President and fellow Cabinet members. Good morning. As of 1 a.m. this morning sir, I was informed already that food packs were distributed in several evacuation centers since last night. We have prepositioned food, food items and non-food items in the…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How many people are still in the evacuation centers?
SEC. TULFO: Sir, we were very close with the OCD, 10,000 to about 13,000 families.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s the same as…
SEC. TULFO: Yes, sir because of the preventive – preemptive evacuation.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right.
SEC. TULFO: So kagabi pa lamang po Mr. President, namimigay na po kami ng mga pagkain, including those stranded sa mga pier po diyan sa Batangas port, diyan po sa may Sorosogon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pinapakain din.
SEC. TULFO: Pinapakain na po ng DSWD sir kasi sinagot na ho natin.
So as we speak sir, nagdi-distribute na po ang DSWD ng mga food sa mga iba’t ibang evacuation centers this morning hanggang kagabi pa.
May mga ilang problems lang po kami sir. We need air assets, that’s why I told Secretary Faustino, I might borrow his helicopter or airplane sir to airlift some food items sa mga island…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Saan? Saan banda?
SEC. TULFO: Polillo po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, Polillo.
SEC. TULFO: Other islands sir. Catanduanes also sir. We might need those air assets.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What’s the condition there? Anong report sa’yo doon sa… Ano nga ‘yun, Polillo Island and then ‘yung sa eastern side na unang tinamaan.
SEC. TULFO: Hindi pa po nakakababa ‘yung regional director ko doon, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Wala pa. Maaga pa eh.
SEC. TUFLO: We will be flying after this meeting sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah, antayin natin ‘yung mga report nila.
SEC. TUFLO: Actually Mr. President, after this meeting, I’ll be flying..
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ano ‘yung pinakamalapit mong storage na naka-preposition?
SEC. TUFLO: Diyan po sa Quezon sir. Quezon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Where?
SEC. TUFLO: In Quezon province. Yes sir. And then we also have sir, dito po sa National Regional Operations Center namin, NROC sa Pasay sir. We can bring it to the Air Force to Villamor so that they can airlift it to Polillo Islands and several islands po around Quezon, in Region IV.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Anong i-airlift? What do – what will they bring? Anong dala na sa airlift?
SEC. TULFO: Mga food pack sir. ‘Yung mga food boxes
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pagkain.
SEC. TULFO: At saka water like you have instructed me.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Water, oo.
SEC. TULFO: So we purchased water bottles.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo, laging ano ‘yung tubig eh.
SEC. TULFO: Opo.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah. Okay. So anong – in your estimation, saan ‘yung mga areas na talagang nangangailangan ng tulong?
SEC. TULFO: Region IV-A sir, iyang… Dinaanan po talaga ‘yung track nung typhoon. Metro Manila, we have evacuation centers in Marikina. And Region III sir, ‘yung talagang dinaanan po ng typhoon ‘Karding’ sa mga evacuation centers. ‘Yun lang po ‘yung nasa evacuation centers po ‘yung problem natin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So wala ng kailangan sagipin? We don’t have to rescue?
SEC. TULFO: Wala sir because…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Parang I’m not getting reports of people that need to be rescued.
SEC. TULFO: No, sir. Because of the preemptive evacuation po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Because of the preemptive…
SEC. TULFO: At saka I think sir because of the experiences sa mga typhoons before. Yolanda, Odette.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Tama.
SEC. TULFO: So they learned their lessons, sir. So pag nagbigay po ng warning ang LGU, sumusunod po ‘yung mga kababayan na natin Mr. President, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. Thank you, Sec. Erwin. Can we hear from DILG? Ano bang report coming from our ano – our LGUs?
DILG SECRETARY BENJAMIN “BENHUR” ABALOS JR.: Yes, magandang umaga po. Magandang umaga po mahal na Pangulo ‘no at sa mga kasama ko po. Pakita ko lang po ‘yung report ko sandali. Paki-load lang po.
Okay. Gusto ko sana ipakita. Pinag-uusapan po natin ‘yung preemptiveevacuation. Ito po ‘yung mga preparedness na ginawa. [Next slide please]
‘Yan po ang sinundan po namin, ‘yung track ng bagyo, kung kaya’t base po diyan sa tatlong – sa Listo, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. Charlie, ito po ‘yung mga lugar na malapit na tatamaan nung bagyo.
Sila ay within – kung hindi ako nagkakamali, a radius of 160 kilometers from the center kaya diyan po kami nag-concentrate.
Pagkatapos ‘yung sumunod ay ‘yung Bravo, which is 330 kilometers from the center at ‘yung Alpha. So ‘yan pong mga LGUs na ‘yan ay sinabihan nang husto at tinutukan po nang husto. [Next please]
So ‘yun hong mga preparedness before, ito po ‘yung mga ginawa ng ating mga gobernador, mga mayor, mga barangay captain, even before. Ito nga ho sa Burdeos, si Helen Tan, two days before nag-evacuate na ho siya at nagpapakain na ‘no.
Ito po sa Tuguegarao.[Paki-bilisan lang ‘yung mga ano — maraming slides ‘to. Paki-bilisan lang ‘yung mga pictures] Ito po sa Aurora, even before nagme-meeting na po sila. [Sige lang] Ito sa Nueva Ecija. Talagang pinaghandaan po ito ‘no. Ito ho sa Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Caloocan, kung saan-saan. [Next]
At ito naman po dito sa Aurora. [Next] So, at saka continuous monitoring. Kamukha po ng sinasabi po natin. Ang purpose po nito ay para ma-evacuate kaagad ‘yung mga tao at tinitingnan ‘yung mga lugar na talagang mabababa. [Next please. Sige, sige lang. Next. Sige lang, sa Aurora]
So ‘yan po ‘yung mga ibang mga litrato po rito. So the DILG, ang ginawa… [Tuloy-tuloy niyo lang]
The DILG issued the necessary memoranda and advisories to all concerned LGUs to carry out the necessary preparedness action super typhoon ‘Karding’ in accordance with the Listo protocol such as but not limited to mobilization of barangay DRRMCs, implement preemptive or forced evacuation in areas with high to very high susceptibility of floods and landslides.
On the LGU general preparedness measures, concerned LGUs have convened their respective local DRRMCs and conducted Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment PDRA meetings.
Napaka-active po nila rito, ‘yung mga chief executives po natin. And activated all concerned PDRRMCs and currently conducting pre-emptive forced evacuations, as well as informed punong barangays of weather advisories
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Nagka-problema ba tayo sa evacuation? Na ‘yung nagre-resist na ayaw umalis?
SEC. ABALOS: Kung meron sir, konting-konti lang po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Konti lang naman yata. Naintindihan na nila na delikado ‘no.
SEC. ABALOS: Ito po ang naging susi talaga sir, evacuation. Tama po kayo. At ‘yun nga pinaghandaan po pati mga tubig, mga baterya, kuryente, may mga tents na kaagad na inano. At napakaganda naman ng preparasyon dahil nasanay na po eh ‘no. Nakita niyo halos bago pa ‘yung mga tents ng iba. [Sige lang, paki tuloy lang ‘yung pictures para makita ng Presidente]
So nag-conduct din po ang DILG, tinawagan lahat ng mga governors, ang mga mayors. At nakakatuwa naman ang mga local chief executives. Sa CAR, halos 100 percent ang present ‘no. Sa mga ganitong pagpupulong. Sa NCR, ganun din. Sa Region I, 96.8 percent. Sa Region II, 94.6 percent. Region III, 100 percent. Region IV-A, 100 percent. Region IV-B, 89 percent. Region V, 94.7 percent.
At as of 5 o’clock, tama po si General Faustino, ‘yun pong number of evacuees ay nakalagay na rin po dito. Ito po mga preemptive evacuation. From Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province.
Ang total po nito ay sa CAR ay 758. Sa Region I ay 821, sa La Union at Pangasinan. Ito po lugar ng Bangar, Alaminos, Alcala, Anda, Basista, Bayambang, Dagupan, Urbiztondo.
Sa Region III, ito’y umabot ng 390 sa Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: ‘Yang chart na ‘yan, ‘yan na ngayon – as of 5 a.m. ata nakalagay diyan.
SEC. ABALOS: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: As of 5 a.m. ‘yan ang evacuees natin?
SEC. ABALOS: Yes, sir. ‘Yan po ang nakuha po naming data.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Para alam natin ‘yung number.
SEC. ABALOS: May breakdown din po kami per municipality, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Sige lang.
SEC. ABALOS: Oho. Sige po. So ‘yan na po ‘yun. Medyo mahaba-haba pa po itong mga breakdown. Hindi ko na tatapusin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi, sige. You go ahead. Kailangan pa natin malaman. We have to find out what’s the situation on the ground.
SEC. ABALOS: Yes sir. So sa Bulacan, ang… Tapusin ko lang po. Sa Aurora is 25,358, ito ang Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dingalan, Dipaculao.
Sa Bulacan, kulang-kulang – families, there are 1,985 families and 7,337 individuals. Ito ‘yung mga lugar na Angat, ‘yung malalapit po sa mga dam. Balagtas, Baliuag, Bocacue, Bulacan, Doña DRT, Guiguinto, Malolos, Norzagaray, Obando, Paombong, Plaridel, San Ildefonso, San Jose Del Monte City, San Miguel, San Rafael, Santa Maria.
Sa Nueva Ecija, ganun rin po, 1,031 families and 3,872 individuals. Sa Pampanga, 513 families and 2,127 individuals. Sa Tarlac, Zambales din po. Ito-total ko na. Sa Region IV, ganun din po. Sa Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal, hanggang Marinduque po and Romblon.
And of course, sa NCR, kulang-kulang 33,043 individuals. At saCamarines Norte po.
So overall, kung titingnan po natin, napakarami na preemptively evacuated at importante may supisyente pagkain, may tubig, at nakumbinse kaagad lumipat.
So that explains Mr. President, halos walang fatality po tayo ngayon. Talagang napaghandaan po on the ground. ‘Yun lang po Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you. Thank you for that. All right. So that’s more or less. We – gusto ko lang…
Since we have the secretaries of DICT and Energy. Perhaps mabilis lang siguro sa’yo, Ivan. You can tell us the state. And ‘yung sa ano, either, Secretary of DI – Secretary Ivan Uy is here because one of the most important things is to establish immediately after a storm is to establish communications with affected areas para alam natin kung what’s happening. And of course power, kaya’t nandito si Secretary Lotilla.
I want to ask what we generally – what we have been doing before, even before I took office was pagka may disaster nagpapadala kami ng mga truck para mag-provide ng Wi-Fi connection. So let’s ask Secretary Uy to update us on how that’s going.
DICT SEC. IVAN JOHN UY: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Well. So far… Well, I just have it on my iPad ‘no.
So far, in terms of telecommunications, two areas lang ho ang nag-down telecommunications. As was reported by SND, SDND, is one is in the Ilocos Norte and the other was in Quezon.
But insofar as the major areas where the landfall of the typhoon hit, all communications are intact and we’re able to communicate through both radio as well as even the telcos that are Smart, Globe, PLDT. They’re all working po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How many of the ano – telco systems went down? In other words, how much damage did they suffer? How much do they have to make up for?
SEC. UY: So far we have not reported any for now.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ang galing nga eh.
SEC. UY: They are all able to communicate po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah. That’s right. So the – our units were – did not… Not all of them were used?
SEC. UY: They were all pre-deployed. I’m still waiting. So far, we’re waiting if there are any remote barangays or anywhere that could not communicate. But for those areas that are in constant communication, there are no interruption. So it’s still…
Our telcos have already developed a very resilient facility where contingencies are already pre-deployed even before the typhoon hit. And we have also all the mobile communication systems loaded on trucks with VSATs. All pre-deployed in those areas awaiting anymore updates if any system goes down. But so far, good news is, they’re all in contact.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Very good. All right. So now, the next area that we have to think about is the power. Where are the areas essentially? What is the situation in terms of power distribution? Let’s ask Secretary Lotilla. Power distribution, what the damages are, when can we expect perhaps for it to comeback? Para alam din natin where to send generators and things like that. Sec, please go ahead.
DOE SEC. RAPHAEL LOTILLA: Thank you very much, Mr. President. As of 7 o’clock this morning, the main NGCP lines in the areas affected show that the entire province of Nueva Ecija and Aurora are without power because the main highways of power were down.
Last night, when I was at the NGCP control room, we went over the transmission lines that are vulnerable and we had identified the 69kV transmission lines that are made of cement and are vulnerable at these speeds of winds.
So the other provinces that are partly affected are Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, and Quezon. There is a list of the specific areas or cities and municipalities that are affected by these lines that are down. And we can give that list in detail later.
This morning at 9 o’clock, we would have a better sense of where the main transmission wires are down and also at the distribution level.
Mr. President, as of the moment, most of this are still to be determined as to when they are going to be back. And the electric cooperatives in particular still have to make an assessment during daytime of all their facilities. Because even if we will have restored the main transmission lines, it is the distribution lines and even the drop wires to the different houses that will still be vulnerable or will be difficult to restored.
I think you have noted that when we had the earthquake that the problem is really at the household, barangay, sitio levels. But we will try to get an estimate of when and really an estimate of what is the extent of the damage and the amount that may be needed in order to rehabilitate the — particularly the distribution lines.
The good news, Mr. President, is that the main generation plants which are in the path of the typhoon were spared and so we did not have any interruptions except for some problems that we encountered, especially in the hydros. So Casecnan I guess is a difficult problem because there was a blockade that was imposed at the gates of the dam and the spillway it reaches critical levels and is now being addressed by our military together with our DILG.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ano nang nangyari doon? Have they resolved that? Si Faustino?
SEC. ABALOS.: Sir si General Faustino and the PNP were…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kaya nga. Ano na ang naging situation doon?
For the information of everybody, what happened was that there was an — we had to… Kasi in Casecnan, may nagpadala ng tao para i-control ‘yung spillway doon. But for whatever reason, an IP group blockaded it so hindi sila makapasok. So I don’t know what happened now?
SEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir, the background of that sir is mayroong legal issue kasi dito sa Casecnan. Right now, it is an issue between the PSALM and the IP group.
So ang nangyari sir dito in-occupy ng IP ‘yung… Yes, pero matagal na ito sir bago pa ito nung bagyo. Yes, so kahapon noong nag-attempt pumasok ‘yung — to check on the status of the dam, hinarang ng mga IPs ito, hindi pinapasok.
So humingi ng tulong sa atin kagabi. Right now sir, joint police and AFP ang ano na sir to enforce talaga ‘yung ano because more than the dispute there, the safety ‘yun ‘yung primordial concern natin ‘yung dam.
Ngayon sir on the way na sir nakapasok na papasok na sir ‘yung ating team doon para iayos ‘yung gusot sir, ‘yung problema doon. So ‘yun ‘yung ano sir mahaba na…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: The only interest we have there is to be able to go and control the spillway. We’re not trying to resolve any of this issue.
SEC. ABALOS: Mr. President, General Chiquito Malayo is here with me, the police and the AFP they’re escorting the…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, I think we’re all right as long as it’s under control and that we have it — we can do everything we need to do in terms of controlling the spillway and making sure that the ano is not a problem.
Anyway, so I think at least in the — for the power we’ll just have to wait. It’s a little — it really is a little early for us to — kasi more complicated ang assessment ng power network kaysa sa mga ibang ano.
So we’ll wait for that. But as a response already, since I’ve already identified that the whole of Nueva Ecija and the whole of Aurora have no power, doon na — we need to send them power.
Whatever the prospects are na babalik na ‘yung kuryente, eh ngayon walang kuryente kailangan nila ng — people need to have some ano… So kahit papaano I guess that’s where we can concentrate ‘yung mga ano..
Ano bang mga options natin? We have the big generators and the small generators.
SEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir. I think we have to bring in generators. I’m sure mayroong standby generators.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mayroon ba tayo? Mayroon ba tayo ngayon sa — ?
SEC. FAUSTINO: Mayroon tayong available sir sa mga… Iyon sir ang ipu-push forward natin ngayon doon sa…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: O sige. Palagay ko ‘yun na muna para talagang — para may ilaw man lang, para ‘yung tubig will flow et cetera.
SEC. LOTILLA: Mr. President, so we just made sure that the fuel —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s going to be my next point.
SEC. LOTILLA: — well at least we have all the — 99 percent and above of all the fuel stations have enough supply.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Have fuel to ano…
SEC. LOTILLA: Yes. So I think we are safe on that side.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah, para makagalaw din ‘yung mga tao natin. Yeah, that’s always a problem.
And speaking of fuel, sometimes we forget we send generators, we don’t send fuel. So make sure the generators have fuel. Ganoon lang naman kasimple ‘yun.
So at least for the electricity side — wala stopgap measure lang muna tayo and then we’ll do the long-term stuff as soon as we have more information and we know — we can make a plan.
We even have to upgrade the specs of the ano…
SEC. LOTILLA: That’s right, Mr. President. Mr. President, you pointed out a very important point relating to the PAGASA report.
This is the second time that we have a very rapid development of the typhoon. And unfortunately, October, November, December, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao areas, historically they have — we have had the super typhoons during this period.
So I think we in the power sector will coordinate with other agencies in preparing for this. So every typhoon has the potential of developing into a much stronger one and we have very little time to prepare.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You are right. Is that going to be a tendency? The typhoons develop so rapidly. Odette developed over 24 hours. It was not a super typhoon, then boom it was.
This one the same. We went from Signal No. 2 to Signal No. 5 in a period of like three hours, four hours. Is that going to be the ano — ? Is that a trend? Iyan na ‘yung climate change? Lintik na ‘yan.
OFFICIAL: Mr. President, we could say that that is the effect of climate change.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Wala naman tayong ganyan noon eh.
OFFICIAL: Exactly po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Matagal na tayong nagbabantay ng bagyo, it’s not — hindi ganyan. Oh well, okay so, that’s something that we’ll have to deal with.
I saw some reports about some of the dams na were releasing water. AndI cannot forget the experience that we had in Cagayan Valley a few months ago, almost a year ago, na nagbitaw ang Magat and then nagkabaha-baha.
So can we hear who can tell us what the situation is there? And what are we doing? I understand you may have to release water but how are we making sure that we are not flooding the downstream?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Yes po, Mr. President. Bago po dumaan ‘yung bagyo sa…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You identify yourself and what your agency is.
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Administrator Vic Malano, PAGASA po. Mayroon po akong ano dito data from our office na bago po dumating ‘yung bagyong si ‘Karding’ eh nag-preemptive release ‘yung Magat. Kasi ‘yung kanyang level during the time ay malapit na po doon sa tinatawag nating normal water high ng kanyang opening. Hanggang ngayon po ay nagre-release pa rin po.
One gate ‘yung kanyang bukas at one meter po ‘yung height ‘yung nire-release niyang tubig. Kasama na din po ‘yung ano — ‘yung Ipo Dam kasi malapit na rin po doon sa normal water level ‘yung kanyang ano – ‘yung tubig.
So ang sinasabi po natin bago magkaroon ng baha ay nagpapa-release na sila para hindi po umapaw ‘yung tubig ilog. So ‘yun po ‘yung ating ginawa — ay ‘yung ginawa ng dam operators po natin.
Ang Magat po ay operated by NIA at ‘yun po namang Ipo ay sa MWSS po. Opo, opo.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. Anyway, how do we make sure na hindi magkabaha sa downstream?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Kaya po natin… Kaya po ginagawa ‘yung preemptive release po para…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ginagawa ‘yung…?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Preemptive release po ng tubig. So ‘yun ‘yung ginawa during the past two days ng Magat.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Did you have to evacuate ng tao sa downstream ‘pag bitaw niyo ng tubig?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Binibigyan po natin ng — six hours before mag-release po, binibigyan po natin ng abiso na magre-release po tayo at ito po ‘yung sinasabi…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Bakit inaabutan talaga sila?
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Mayroong mga critical areas po na inaabutan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: May mga areas na inaabutan sila.
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: Opo. Sa ngayon po ang ating mga dams ay marami pa pong kulang ‘yung iba lalong-lalo na po ‘yung Angat. Although umangat kahapon hanggang ngayong araw na data nang about seven meters, hindi pa po tayo umabot sa normal water high level during this time.
Ang ibig sabihin po nung normal water high, lahat po ng ano lahat po ng pangangailangan ay ibinibigay.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. Siyempre, sige, that’s… Mabuti test within water anyway dapat mina-manage natin. But bantayin niyo nangmabuti. We don’t want that incident to happen na sabay-sabay na nagbitaw hindi nag-warning sa mga affected areas na magbibitaw ng tubig kaya nagkaproblema.
You’ll be very, very careful about that. Kontrolado naman natin eh so kontrolin natin. Huwag tayong ano… The coordination required is going to be important. Ipo Dam, Magat, hindi ‘yung basta’t hindi kayo nag-uusap. Kailangan naka-coordinate nang mabuti.
So it’s NIA and…
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: NIA and MWSS po ‘yun.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Halo-halo talaga ‘yung sa water. Maybe we should have somebody from ano… Sige, we’ll arrange to talk to somebody from — to make sure na walang problema. Okay.
ADMINISTRATOR MALANO: We closely coordinate with the troops.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, oo. Pero hindi very technical ‘yung problema niyo — trabaho niyo eh. So you have to decide kung papaano. Hindi namin masasabi sa inyo because again it’s a technical exercise.
So but you have to make sure that whatever it is you do na hindi magbaha. That’s it, ganoon lang kasimple ‘yun. Yeah, that’s what we need to worry about. All right thank you.
Sige I think at this point we’ll ask Usec. Vergeire to explain to us if there are any particular issues when it comes to healthcare and ano ba ‘yung report natin sa injuries? Do we have casualties? Usec, please go ahead.
DOH OIC UNDERSECRETARY MARIA ROSARIO VERGEIRE: Yes, thank you. Good morning, Mr. President, and to all the Cabinet officials present.
Currently, Mr. President, we do not have any reported injuries norcasualties across the different areas affected. We already have prepositioned 83.7 million across the different areas. Our regional offices, our regional teams are going down the areas to check.
As of this morning at 8 a.m., we were able to access some facilities which were damaged especially in Nueva Ecija. We have one rural health unit which was damaged although it was just minor. Nabasag po ‘yung salamin doon sa kanilang facility.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: But they continue to function? May damage but they’re functioning?
SEC. VERGEIRE: Yes, Mr. President. They continue to function although…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Did you have to evacuate patients out of the hospital?
SEC. VERGEIRE: No, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: None. O sige.
SEC. VERGEIRE: None of the patients were evacuated although our hospitals were on standby. Also we have a damaged infirmary. This is a lower-level facility also in Nueva Ecija where the roof of the hospital was ripped off.
So mayroong isang area sa lobby po ‘yun at saka sa emergency room, sonailagay ‘yung ibang – ‘yung mga pasyente naman sa ibang area nungospital. This is just a small facility, infirmary lang naman po. And our people are on the ground already doing the repairs.
We also have a leaking roof in our Mega DATRC, this is our big isolation quarantine facility in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija. So ngayon po inaayos na rin.
We have funds to repair all of these facilities through our quick response funds, at nandoon na po ‘yung region.
What we are really watching out for right now would be the power interruptions because of our vaccine storage for COVID-19. So we already have prepositioned our generators in Nueva Ecija so that we can maintain the storage of our…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Saan galing? Who will provide it?
SEC. VERGEIRE: Mayroon po ‘yung mga ospital naman namin. Nakukuha naman po namin pagka ganoon. So that’s all, Mr. President.
We are all mobilized. Mayroon ho kaming mga personnel in the different areas. Our regional team from Region IV-A right now going to Burdeos, Quezon to check our families that were affected. May mga dala-dala na rin pong mga jerrycans and mga medicines and supplies.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you, Usec. All right.
I think we may have gotten lucky at least this time, a little bit. But I think it’s clear from this – from what we did these last two days is that very, very important is preparation.
Get people out of the areas of danger. Put all of your assets that you are going to use pagka mag-rescue, para mag-relief, put them in place as much as possible prepare all of the ano… It’s really in the preparation.
And that’s why I think we were able to… And then the LGUs did a good job na explaining what the situation was, what needs to be done, anong plano.
So I think this is a good illustration of how that can really help. So that’s the approach we will take always. That’s why we need good weather forecast from PAGASA to give us as much time as possible to prepare.
And then since we’ve done this — all of us here in this room have done this so many, many times, we really should be — we know what we need to do. We just have to go and do it.
And it comes back down to the coordination between… And I think kung tingnan natin kaya ‘yung preemptive evacuation kaya naging successful ‘yan dahil ka-partner natin nang mabuti ‘yung LGU kasi sila ang magaling gumawa diyan eh na para sabihin sa tao nila na lumipat na sila at may bagyong parating.
So that coordination is always, always very important. So I think we — it’s not yet over. Hindi pa tayo mag-stand down until… I think the point that we can say we can stand down is when the majority of our evacuees are already in their — back home.
Do we have any idea kung kailan sila makakabalik?
SEC. TULFO: Mr. President, depende po iyon sa LGU eh. ‘Yung ibang… Pero ‘pag ‘yung mga houses nila are damaged sir, hindi sila makakabalik kaagad. But we have enough food sir to sustain hanggang two weeks pa sir eh while they’re repairing their homes.
Pero ‘yung mga wala naman pong damage sa homes, kadalasan report lang po sa amin binaha, naputik ‘yung mga gamit, damit, maglilinis lang sila, so makakabalik po ‘yan maski ngayong hapon ‘pag wala ng tubig, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good, good. Wala pa ‘yung report na damaged — completely damaged, partially… Wala pa akong ano — hindi pa…
SEC. TULFO: Wala pa po, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi pa nila nagagawa. They haven’t gone out yet.
SEC. TULFO: Hindi pa ho nakakauwi ‘yung iba sir kasi mataas pa ‘yung tubig. Pero magkakaroon ho kami ng aerial survey mamaya sir sa DSWD, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: O sige basta’t we make sure na kung sino ‘yung nasa evacuation centers pa, may suporta, they have everything, may kinakain. Iyon lang naman ang kailangan nating gawin until it’s time for them to go home.
SEC. TULFO: Pero ang isa pong hinihingi namin sir is kagaya po niyan ‘pag gumanda na po ang panahon, dahil ginagamit talaga mgaeskuwelahan as evacuation centers. We really need to have an evacuation center in every municipality lalo na po ‘yung mga typhoon at flood-prone areas.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Why do you say na hindi na puwede ‘yung school building?
SEC. TULFO: Kasi sir pagka maganda na ang panahon, may araw, nandoon pa rin po ‘yung mga evacuees dahil nasira ang bahay nila. So hindi po naka… Iyong mga estudyante magsisiksikan sa ibang classrooms.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi magagamit ‘yung eskuwelahan.
SEC. TULFO: Oo, ginagamit po. Kaya ang talaga pong dapat sir ay mayroon tayong sariling evacuation center every time para hindi po nadi-disrupt ‘yung mga pag-aaral ng mga bata ‘pag maganda na po ang panahon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mag-ano ka nga ng ano — can you conduct a quick study? How long does it take ‘yung mga partially damaged homes, completely damaged homes, how long does it normally take na makabalik sila sa — umalis sila sa evacuation center?
In the experience of the DSWD over the many years na nagkakabagyo tayo, nagkaka-disaster tayo, pagka ‘yung pamilya partially damaged ang kanilang tahanan o fully damaged, how long does it take them to get back usually hindi ba?
SEC. TULFO: Based on experience sir tops po…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Para alam natin ‘yung ano ‘yung pangangailangan.
SEC. TULFO: Kung mga nawalan lang po ng bubong, usually bubong sir ang nawawala eh, usually sir three, four days sir ‘pag nabigyan na po natin ng AICS sir ‘yung family nakakabili sila ng materyales so that they can go home.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: ‘Yun doon tayo makatulong, oo. O sige, all right. It’s a good point ‘yung sa evacuation center.
Well anyway as I said, the key to this is… Marami naman magki-critique pa naman tayo nito eh. But I think that the preparation that we did all day yesterday just making sure that everything was prepositioned, we had a plan for whatever would happen, we were ready for all of this.
I always — when I… You might think that we overdid it. There’s no such thing as overkill when it comes to disaster. So tama ito, you put everything in place. Mabuti na ‘yung sobra kaysa sa kulang.
Well, all right unless there’s anything else that we need to discuss. Okay I think let us proceed as we have been going. We monitor it clearly. ‘Pag may lumabas na pangangailangan, somebody humingi ng tulong, then we will go and do it.
We will wait for further information from the technical people and the Department of Energy so that we know how we can… We have to tell the people by tomorrow, by the day after tomorrow, baka puwede na.
The hospitals, just get them back to full function. And our communication seems to be all right, so that’s in place. DSWD has sufficient supplies to provide for those who are displaced.
All right I think that covers it. If there’s anything else, please immediately just get in touch with me.
Thank you very much.
— END —
SOURCE: OPS-PND (Presidential News Desk)
