PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, kakatapos lang ‘yung ating emergency meeting dito sa NDRRMC dahil nga sa epekto ng Carina at kung saan ang mga critical areas at nag-report na ang NDRRMC, ang OCD, ang DILG, ang DSWD, PAGASA, of course, para malaman natin kung ano ‘yung areas na hindi pa natin napupuntahan.
So, kaunti lang naman ang instruction na binigay ko sa grupo dahil maganda naman ang response natin so far.
Sinabihan ko na lang sila mag-focus lang nang mabuti doon sa mga areas na sa hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa natin naipasok.
So, ‘yun ang after… Iyon ang magiging next na priority na gagawin ng DSWD, pati na siyempre Public Works because kung ‘yung mga daan ay na-landslide, kailangan magtulungan sila ng LGU para i-clear ‘yung daan.
The only other main issue was the suggestion that the entire Metro Manila will be put under a State of Calamity and this is because talagang hindi maganda ang flooding dito, ang nangyari dito sa Metro Manila, especially in the traditional low-lying areas like Navotas, like in Malabon, like in…
These are all these places that — mababa talaga sa dagat ‘yan kaya’t laging nababaha. Nasira pa ‘yung flood control natin dahil binangga ng barko. Kaya’t halos lahat nung bayan ay nakalubog sa tubig.
So, the… Well, led by our DILG Secretary, together with Mayor Zamora who is the — siyang namumuno ng buong Metro Manila mayor, sila — magko-convene sila mamaya after this para makapag-decide kung talagang kailangan ba mag-State of Calamity ang buong NCR.
Q: Sir, hindi kayo ang magde-declare ng State of Calamity?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: No.
Q: Hindi na po kayo?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: No, no, no. We don’t… Actually ang — usually ang State of Calamity is the LGU executive. Pag regional, it’s because nagka-sabay-sabay. Magiging calamity sa ano pagka three regions ang involved, then already the national has to come in. That’s a national calamity already. Wala na kaming choice doon. Pasok na ang national.
But it’s up to the local communities to decide because they know best, they know best what they need.
It is also ‘yung pag-deklara ng State of Calamity, it’s also to access funds para makapag-access na sila ng funds kasi nauubos na ‘yung kanilang emergency na reserved, kukuha sila sa national. So, that’s what we’re working on now.
Q: Sir, hindi po ba kailangan dahil CALABARZON, Region III, and Metro Manila, NCR na, tatlo na po ‘yun?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, kaya nga, nasa sa kanila ‘yan. Nasa sa kanila ‘yan. It is up to them. That is very much a local prerogative.
Q: Sir, how about the flood control project?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What about that?
Q: Kumusta po ‘yung situation?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I don’t think we can — we need to talk about that now. What we need to talk about is how to bring help to the people who are in trouble.
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