PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR: We have to redistribute ‘yung assets natin para sa mga nakaraang bagyo na mostly dumaan ng Northern Luzon.
So, ‘yung ibang asset kailangan dalhin sa — tatamaan na naman ang Bicol, pati Region VIII, pati Region V ang matatamaan ulit, and then back na naman dito sa Region II, ang Isabela and Cagayan.
But also, Central Luzon kasi pati NCR mukhang aabutan nito. So, we have to reposition many of our assets to make sure that at least in the search and rescue phase that we are ready or we have our assets available.
The LGUs are continuously informed about the weather situation together with guidance and instructions on what to do. The airlift capability for pagdala ng mga gamit for search and rescue, mga relief goods, et cetera, ay mukhang nakahanda naman – the airlift pati na ‘yung mga barko na nagdadala ng mga relief goods.
Ang aking nakita na medyo bago at naiba doon sa mga nakaraan na bagyo ‘yung storm surge. Kung naalala ninyo, ito ang napakadelikado dahil hindi natin – noon noong nagka-storm surge tayo lalong-lalo na nung Yolanda ay hindi natin alam kung ano ‘yung storm surge. Ngayon alam na natin.
So, lessons learned from the previous typhoons where we have had storm surges, it seems to be a significant one because if you are talking about three meters, that’s almost one floor.
So, kailangan talaga nating abisuhan ang mga LGUs natin na nakikita natin na baka abutan ng storm surge. So, this is what we are concentrating on.
We have very little time to do it because ang prediction – ang forecast is that the storm will – we will start feeling the storm by tomorrow. Kasi hindi naman not necessarily ‘yung mata ay pumasok na – kahit na ‘yung sa gilid pa lamang ay umuulan na ‘yan.
The rainfall is going to be comparable to maybe Kristine and Marce. That’s why we are doing all that we can to warn people to prepare. So, that’s what we have done for the arrival of Pepito.
Q: Mr. President, this is the sixth typhoon, sir, ‘yung Pepito?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I’m sorry?
Q: Ika-lima o ika-anim na bagyo na itong si Pepito. Medyo marami na ‘yung agricultural loss natin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ang laki.
Q: Are you bothered na ‘yung food security ay maapektuhan at ‘yung presyo ng bigas?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I don’t – in terms of food security, we’re all right. But marami talagang nasisira. Nasira na – ang dami ng nasira na palayan, ang daming nasira na tanim. We will just have to compensate for that.
Dahil anong ano – we just came out of El Niño na… Although, during the El Niño time, we’ve had the highest production pa rin for that season. Pero ito talaga sinisira talaga ‘yung tanim.
So, that’s going to be something – that’s going to be something that will require attention.
Q: This will not result, sir, sa more rice importation kahit sunod-sunod ‘yung bagyo?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes. I think so. Unfortunately, I just received a report from the DA, mukhang madadagdagan ang importation natin. We will import close to four and a half (4.5) million tons.
Nag-3.9 million tayo last year. Ang upper estimate is 4.5. But we have already in place the prices of rice – imported rice has gone down significantly since last year. And we are not in competition like during the El Niño period.
During the El Niño period, tinamaan lahat ng ASEAN countries kaya’t tumaas ang presyo kasi lahat namimili. Dito, dahil sinuswerte tayo, tayo lang ang tinatamaan. At tinamaan tayo so we’re not competing.
So, the prices are staying at about 400 plus, $400 per ton. So, that’s still – that will… So, our imported should be at that price. At titingnan natin, of course, we’ll do everything to control the price of the food, especially all of those products that have been damaged or destroyed by Pepito. Not only Pepito, the whole series of typhoons that have come.
Six typhoons in three weeks. Never in the history – hindi, nangyari na raw ‘yan. In 1946, it happened in 1946. But in my lifetime, I haven’t seen it. Siguro kayo din.
Yeah, since just after the war. So, we are back to that. So, we just have to deal with it.
All right. Thank you.
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