PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.: Well, we just had the situation report from, of course, the local government of Catanduanes and together with the different departments and the different agencies.

The conclusion that – the assessment that we have arrived at is that dito sa Catanduanes ang talagang naging problema ay ‘yung malakas na hangin. At sa kalakasan, halos 200 kilometers per hour ang naramdaman nila. Kaya’t makita naman ninyo ‘pag umiikot, eh talaga ‘yung mga bubong nilipad, ‘yung mga kahoy ay bagsak. At ‘yun ang ating kailangan – kailangan bigyan ng solusyon dahil ang mga…

Ang pinakamalaking naging problema, well of course, ‘yung agricultural damage. At dito sa Catanduanes center ito ng production ng abaka at maraming nasira. So, kailangan natin tingnan ulit kung papaano tayo mag-replant.

Ngunit in the immediate, ang kailangan is reconstruction materials at nakahanda na kami. Kagaya diyan sa mga ibang lugar na tinamaan ng bagyo ay maghahanda kami ng mga construction materials.

Mayroon din tayo na ibinibigay na cash assistance para sa mga household na partially damaged ang kanilang bahay at saka ‘yung totally damaged ang bahay. Kaya’t para mayroon silang pambili ng mga gamit.

So, this is… Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ‘yung… Ang priority ngayon after I get back to Manila, ang magiging priority ko is ‘yung telecommunications para bumalik ang telepono, mayroon silang libreng telepono; ‘yung Internet, para may communications.

Iyon lang ang problema ‘yung sa power, ganoon din. Kagaya ng mga ibang lugar kailangan natin dahil sa dami ng tinamaan, ang ginagawa natin ‘yung mga linemen na sa mga lugar na mga probinsya na hindi tinamaan, hinihiram na muna natin sila para tumulong.

At ngayon pagka natapos na nilang matingnan, mainspeksyon lahat, at sabihin  nila na maayos na ‘yung sistema, puwede nang ibalik ang kuryente. Pero ‘yun na lang ang — ‘yun ang hindi pa natin naaayos is the communication at saka ‘yung power.

Iyong communication mala — may kumpyansa ako na babalik agad ‘yan. Iyong power baka mas mahirap nang kaunti pero we will do what we can.

Q: Sir, I think you had an important phone call this morning?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, yes, I did. Kaninang umaga. Kaya’t na-delay itong lakad ko na ito is because I was able to schedule a phone call to President-elect Donald Trump. At nakausap ko siya kaninang mga — kaninang umaga at naalala naman niya ang Pilipinas.

Ang kaibigan niya talaga mother ko. Kilalang-kilala niya ‘yung mother ko. Kinukumusta niya si — “How is Imelda?”, how is ano… Sabi ko, binabati ka nga at…

Tapos ay patuloy naming pinag-usapan ang samahan — the alliance between the United States and the Philippines. And I expressed to him our continuing desire to strengthen that relationship between our two countries, which is a relationship that is as deep as can possibly be because it has been for a very long time.

And I also reminded the President-elect that ang mga Pilipino sa Amerika overwhelmingly naging — binoto nila si Trump. Kaya’t I’m sure maaalala niya ‘yan pagka tayo ay – ‘pag nagkita kami at plano kong makipagkita sa kanya as soon as I can.

Sabi niya siguro baka nasa White House na siya bago ako makapunta. But anyway, it was a very good call, it was a very friendly call, very productive. And I am glad that I was able to do it and I think President-elect Trump was also happy to hear from the Philippines.

Q: Relatedly po doon sa topic ng immigrants ng mga Filipinos. Si President Trump confirmed that it’s going to be…

PRESIDENT MARCOS: We didn’t… No, we didn’t talk about that. We didn’t talk about that. It was just a congratulatory call.

But, of course, our ambassador is already working on that.

All right? Thank you.

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