PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.: Thank you for the briefings and thank you for the information, everyone.
I would just like to focus first on the most immediate concerns that we have. Who is the BFAR? ‘Yung hinihingi doon sa Bangka Program, that we will have to send to the central office bago ma-approve, ‘yun ang procedure natin eh ‘di ba?
You prepare it already para it’s already in Manila when I get there mapirmahan ko na, ma-approve ko na, mabilis na, okay. [applause]
And then the, ‘yung sa – in the city, malayo pa, we have only been able to service 3,000 plus of the 18,000 families that have been affected. So malayo pa nang kaunti. But you say that there is coming from DSWD another – how many? That will be able to service 5,000 families. But we are still a long way. Wala pa – we’re still at what? 9,000 families na na-service. We have a long way to go.
So I don’t know if the – maybe siguro mag-ano kayo ng local government. Maybe we can assist the local government so that habang kumukuha sila ng kanilang mga relief goods, family packs, hygiene packs, we can give you some funds para bumili rin kayo para makumpleto na ninyo ‘yung… [applause] Kasi kawawa naman ‘tong mga ‘to. And we don’t know when they will be going back to their homes.
So that’s for the city. ‘Yung nakakapanghinayang ‘yung fisheries. ‘Yan ang mas mahirap ayusin eh. I think the damage to infrastructure, nakita natin sa ano ito. We saw these damages before. Puro sa mga spillway. Ano bang kailangan gawin diyan? What do we have to do? [Give him a microphone. Ayan, he has a microphone.]
DPWH SECRETARY MANUEL BONOAN: Yes, Mr. President. ‘Yung spillways po I think we’ll have to look into the – since we already have this experience on the level of the water that has been going through pagka rainy days, then we probably will have to raise it. We will raise it.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That seems to be the – at least in Gingoog. Mukhang ‘yun ang mga naging damage kasi malaki na naman ‘yung tubig. The experience we’ve been having is that – it’s just the volume of the water na hindi unprecedented ‘yung ganito karaming ulan, sunod-sunod. Seven days, you said, seven days na umulan. In Ozamiz, it’s still raining.
So we have to be ano – ‘yung sa infrastructure, I guess we will have to wait until we are able. But nonetheless, marami… ‘Yung sa roadways, wala ng sarado? They’re all open?
SEC. BONOAN: Sa roadways, Mr. President, as far as the national roads are concerned, okay naman po ‘yun. I think we’ll just have to address ‘yung – there is one secondary road, that is the Claveria-Gingoog road that seems to have some problems still. So we are looking at it. And it is now passable.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You are doing the assessment already?
SEC. BONOAN: Yes, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. Very good. Itong school buildings, ‘yan… We also have to look after this. Marami-rami ito eh. There are 63 classrooms that were flooded.
This is also will go through public works, ‘yung repair of the schools o puwedeng – ?
SEC. BONOAN: DepEd, Mr. President. DepEd.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: DepEd, yeah, but you’re the — you will still be the implementing – implementing agent?
SEC. BONOAN: It is actually the local government unit.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Parang mas… Baka ito na…
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT ANTONIO LAGDAMEO JR.: Ah this one, we can send it right away.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: If the LGUs can take the load, we can send you the three million plus immediately. Kasi ito ‘yung nakalista dito so for the school buildings. I’m talking about the school buildings for the repair. Yeah, do it. By administration na lang ‘yung ano para mas mabilis. I think… Mas mabilis and mas mura. [laughter] Governor ako dati eh.
Okay so we have that… O sige, so those were the ones that I see that we can immediately do something about for the city. Ano pang mga immediate needs ninyo? First of all the evacuees, we must make sure that they are attended to properly and then kung ano ‘yung sa… Iyong school buildings critical ‘yun eh. We will be needing to – we will be needing to… So come to an arrangement with the ano with the LGU. What maybe if you want – kung kaya ninyo by administration lahat, go ahead. Kung hindi, patulong tayo sa Public Works, Gov.
MISAMIS ORIENTAL GOVERNOR PETER UNABIA: Yeah, Mr. President, about the immediate personally right after the flood, umikot kami with my teams sa province and ‘yung repair to mga dike, the flood controls, kung hindi ma-address ‘yan like mayroong mga 50, 20 meters na nasira, ‘pag hindi ma-address ‘yan immediately RD, mag-expand ‘yan ‘no. So kailangang ma-repair ‘yun para ano.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: [inaudible]
GOV. UNABIA: Yes, sir. Yes, Mr. President. Iyon ang immediate. But we are having a study with the district, Office of District 1.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ang gagawin ng Public Works they will do the assessment first kung anong trabaho ang kailangang gawin. How much was the damage? And then we’ll see how will we correct the damage and kung kaya nating gawin. Because kung mataas pa ang tubig, baka hindi natin magawa kaagad.
But we have some – there are methods naman na kahit na hindi pa naayos, mayroon na tayong mailalagay na proteksyon kahit temporary lang muna hangga’t maayos talaga natin ‘yung mga flood control, ‘yung mga dike ‘di ba, all of that.
So but we will – siyempre we will try to do it as quickly as possible. We will try to do it as quickly as possible. Iyon lang rainy season pa rin hanggang ngayon eh. Kaya naiba talaga ang weather eh.
Okay, let me quickly now move to the province. How many — outside of Gingoog, how many are still in evacuation centers? Do we know? Can we ask the…
GOV. UNABIA: For now, Mr. President, nasa bahay na nila lahat.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Nasa bahay na lahat.
GOV. UNABIA: So wala na sa evacuation centers.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So hindi na natin problema ‘yan. Okay, so the infrastructures that also na – that the province has ano itong mga damage titingnan din natin mayroon kayong mga example dito from Talisayan, Salay, Binuangan, Alubijid, Balingasag, Medina, iyon the same thing will happen. The Public Works will go, will assess, see how much the damage is, what will we do to repair it, and we will immediately try as soon as possible. Weather permitting ‘yan eh. Kung minsan ‘yung ano weather permitting ‘yung mga ganyang klase lalo na pagka maglalagay tayo ng permanent structures.
But never mind, we will do it as quickly as… Ito ‘yung seawall sa National High School sa Medina and the spillway, ‘yan ba ang pinaka-priority sa nakikita mo, Gov?
GOV. UNABIA: Yes, Mr. President. All spillways should be immediately repaired because hindi man makadaan ‘yung mga residents. Like in Gingoog, we have five barangays na kung hindi ma-repair ‘yun spillways, they cannot pass during heavy rains.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ano bang – ano pa bang… May band-aid solution ba tayo at least temporarily para madaanan? Itaas lang ang level somehow?
SEC. BONOAN: Mr. President, we are actually in the process of procuring ‘yung – mayroon ho tayo kasi ‘yung modular bridging materials before…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s what I was thinking of, oo.
SEC. BONOAN: And this is what we are trying to procure now, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: They will have it available to us already?
SEC. BONOAN: Wala pa, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: When are we going to get it?
SEC. BONOAN: We are in the process of discussing – discussions with the…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mukhang matagal pa ‘yan. In the meantime, how do we allow the…? Kahit na foot traffic lang muna na dumaan.
SEC. BONOAN: Kahit footbridge, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: No, doon sa mga spillway, bago natin maayos ‘yung spillway, papaano nating gagawin para makadaan – mayroong madaanan ang tao?
SEC. BONOAN: Well, titingin po kami ng another diversion po siguro, Mr. President, para may…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Maghanap ka ng ibang…
SEC. BONOAN: Opo.
GOV. UNABIA: Mr. President…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes.
GOV. UNABIA: Yeah, we know the terrain of every municipalities here ‘no. So kung hahanap tayo ng terrain as mentioned by Secretary Manuel, medyo mahihirapan, malaki ang trabaho.
So we’ll be discussing this with the district office and the regional office of the DPWH para to know the cost of the immediate repair of the dikes. Hindi puwede foot traffic lang, Mr. President, kay you have to carry the goods ng mga residents of that particular barangays.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What do we usually do, Sec. Manny, pagka ‘yung mga spillway – mag-aantay lang tayo hangga’t maayos ulit?
SEC. BONOAN: Hinahantay namin bumaba ‘yung tubig, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kaya nga we have to wait until… Iyon na nga marami rito weather permitting eh. That’s the problem that we are having now because the rain doesn’t – parang ang forecast hindi pa yata matitigil ito for a while. So – kaya nga that’s why I’m thinking of interim lang kahit na – basta madaanan, madaanan kahit papaano.
I don’t know we’ll have to put a pathway of some kind. Pero pagka lumaki na naman ‘yung tubig, tangay na naman ‘yan. Ay nako.
GINGOOG CITY MAYOR ERICK CAÑOSA: Sir, good afternoon po ulit. Actually yesterday po we had our briefing and during our damage assessment po mayroon na pong assessment ang DPWH through our district engineer kung ano po ‘yung dapat gagawin for the Province of Misamis Oriental po. It was being presented po and subject to submission sa region and to be endorsed po sa central office din po through Secretary Bonoan po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, once it gets to the Secretary’s desk, I’m sure they will prioritize this. It is a repair. Okay.
And then sa agri… Wala ditong estimate for the… I’m looking for the agri damage. I have the infra. Walang agri. Saan ang… 80M? Oh there it is. ‘Yun ba? Ayon, ‘yun. Ah okay. I saw it na.
OFFICIAL: This is for Gingoog City.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. Wala pa ang – ?
OFFICIAL: 80M for the whole province.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. So magpe-prepare ang DA ng emergency supplies and ano para mayroon din tayong assistance para sa farmers ‘di ba. Can you explain to the leaders what the DA’s response is pagka ganito? Pero iba-iba ito eh. Like the banana, we will have to treat it differently. Kung nakalubog na ‘yan sa tubig, we will have to replant.
‘Yung root crops, baka puwede pa. ‘Yung rice, baka mayroon pa, baka pupuwede pa. We don’t know. We’ll have to assess again. What is the on-the-ground assessment so far?
DA-10 REGIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CARLENE COLLADO: Yes, Mr. President. We have already received the damage report from the city agriculturist and the other municipal agriculturist. So we have available buffer seeds for the rice, for corn, for the high value crops, especially vegetable seeds. And kanina may nakalagay doon na SURE Assistance. Ito ‘yung sa ACPC na ‘yung meaning ng SURE, Survival and Recovery Assistance during calamity.
So under that, puwede mag-loan ang affected farmer sa SURE worth 10,000 per borrower without interest, service charge lang and then 25,000 for the recovery assistance. That is an immediate assistance from the DA, Mr. President. And initially the ACPC budgeted 10 million. So depending on the applications that we will receive to be submitted by DA.
And aside from that Mr. President, we have this rice farmers financial assistance for the province and for Gingoog. This will be distributed [in] February. So this is per farmer 5,000 pesos. This is from the RCEF funds that we collect from the tariff of the importation of the rice. And aside from that, we are also – we’ll be distributing the fertilizer discount vouchers for the whole region that totals around 192 million. And for the RFFA, we have 96 million to be disbursed and the funds are already deposited in the DBP account. So anytime we will schedule the distribution, not only for the province of Misamis Oriental but for the whole province of Region 10, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s the usual response of the DA, mayroon several aspects to the response para sa assistance na ibibigay natin sa mga farmers, some in cash but some also in materials, planting materials. I think puwede natin siguro ma-recover lahat ito.
Although some of the damage, I saw some of the – ‘yung nakita ko ‘yung ibang tanim talagang wala na, nakadapa na eh. Hindi na… Baka we’ll have to mag-replant ulit.
DIR. COLLADO: ‘Yung totally damaged, Mr. President, we will provide buffer seeds or buffer stocks. But for – may iba, Mr. President, that it will recover just in time.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. So that will be the response of the DA immediately for the farmers. Of course, we focus on rice because most of our farmers plant rice at least in the wet season. But marami pang ibang high value crops dito, vegetable, fruit trees, cacao, coffee that have to be supported.
So we’ll – you send to the Manila office all of these reports and what are the priorities of the DA when it comes to the for the – hindi lang farmers, pati ‘yung mga mangingisda ‘di ba.
DIR. COLLADO: Yes, Mr. President, as of yesterday, for the total damage in Northern Mindanao, it involves 5,594 hectares and the total damage in pesos is 154 million. So we will subject this to validation and after this, we’ll submit to central office for the request of the Quick Response Fund.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. So now, marami ng long-term project dito na sinama, Gov. These are all good. The ones that we are already doing, ang tawag nila na FAITH is the backyard vegetable growing. Mayroon na kaming program niyan, we are already – the DA is already starting to do that. We will continue to expand. If you have a specific project, ibigay mo sa amin, suportahan ka namin so that – i-identify mo na itong – i-identify mo na kung how many – what are the planting materials that you need, lahat, ‘yung mga ganoon pati ‘yung ano, ‘yung gardening tools.
GOV. UNABIA: Mga farm machineries, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo, sige. Ibigay mo sa amin para makita na namin and we can put it as part of the program that already exists.
GOV. UNABIA: Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Itong silo, I think it’s time for us already to be thinking about that in close terms. Cong, kausapin mo si Speaker. Sabihin mo baka mayroon siyang ano, baka mayroon siyang contribute – puwedeng i-contribute dito sa ganito, because this is a good program.
And then the drip irrigation system, do you have it already? Mayroon na kayo niyan?
GOV. UNABIA: We are in the process of procuring, procurement, Mr. President. But if we’ll expand that to – we have a plan to resituate the residences of – situated in the coastal. So iakyat namin sila sa bundok, may mga areas, then doon sila bigyan ng sustainable livelihood.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Saan galing ‘yung technology na ginagamit niyo?
GOV. UNABIA: Israel, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Israeli, Netafim?
GOV. UNABIA: Netafim then yeah. We have other suppliers also from Israel.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: They invited drip irrigation sa Netafim. Okay. Very good. Bagay na bagay sa’tin.
DIR. COLLADO: Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, yes?
DIR. COLLADO: Mr. President, with regard to the corn silo, we can propose that under the PRDP, Philippine Rural Development Project, which is funded by World Bank and it is included under the I-BUILD Program.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Under what item?
DIR. COLLADO: The corn silo, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: In the World Bank program?
DIR. COLLADO: PRDP.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, I know. But it is included as what item ‘yung mga silo development?
DIR. COLLADO: It can be under the I-BUILD Program.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. All right. There’s no specific item for that, we’ll put it under one of the funding – one of the funding sources ng World Bank?
DIR. COLLADO: Yes, Mr. President, what we need is the proposal coming from the local government unit. [applause]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ito, lahat ito, i-formalize ninyo. I-formalize ninyo ‘yung proposal. Padala niyo sa akin. I’m still the Secretary, so padala niyo na lang sa akin. And we will try – we’ll try to include it in all of the… Like the silos, we can include it in the World Bank program. The backyard vegetable growing, isama namin doon sa aming sariling – doon sa department na program also.
And then itong drip irrigation, dapat siguro expand pa ito, 1,000 square meters. It caters for the livelihood – marginalized people living in hazard, no-build zones. Ano ‘yun? ‘Yung mga ire-resettle?
GOV. UNABIA: Yes, Mr. President. That is the plan. ‘Yung mga totally damaged na mga bahay sa coastal, i-resituate. We have identified areas already like in Talisayan, we have 10 hectares. In Balingoan, we have 6.5 hectares and we have 10 hectares in Magsaysay and so forth ‘no.
So the plan will be, we will resituate them. We will provide them with drip irrigation, the planting materials and all. And most of all, Mr. President, we created a team for marketing of that – the product of that particular households. We will be planting based on the demand driven by – demand-driven created by the marketing team, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: O sige. Again, formalize the program. I think maganda ito, this can be… Maganda itong small-scale, especially for the rese – para may livelihood. Good idea. O sige, you give it to me as soon as you can para we can study it and see where we can find the funding for it. All right.
GOV. UNABIA: Mr. President, if I may?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, Gov?
GOV. UNABIA: This will be in line with the DHSUD ‘no, DHSUD. So we convert like – for the 10 hectares of Magsaysay, for example, we convert the two hectares for residential and the eight hectares for the backyard gardening. And we have an initial discussion with the DHSUD and they are amenable to the idea.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: … this land made available, that’s the important thing. Ngayon, if we have a specific program na ganito, then we will be able to provide them with the livelihood, ‘yun. I think that’s a good idea.
GOV. UNABIA: This is on top of your Pambansang Pabahay ‘no.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s right. Yes, that will be included. So that’s all… Because ‘yung concept na ‘yun eh hindi na ‘yung bahay lang kung hindi complete community. So kasama na kailangan ang hanapbuhay, kung saan naghahanapbuhay. Kailangan hindi malayo ‘yung – all of those, alam natin lahat ‘yun sa ano… Hindi malayo, may palengke, may eskwela, may simbahan. All of these things. At least accessible.
All right. I think we can – that will be good to formalize those long-term projects. Is there anything else that you feel we need to do? Mayor? Gov? Na kailangan pang ‘yung immediate. At least in the immediate ano…
MAYOR CAÑOSA: The same. Good afternoon po again, Mr. President. ‘Yun lang po, immediate – mayroon lang po tayong request, ‘yung road po na sobrang…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyong?
MAYOR CAÑOSA: Road from Barangay Odiongan to Malinao sobrang sira na talaga na kailangan din pong ma-assess ng DPWH po, kung anong immediate na puwedeng magawa doon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How long is it?
MAYOR CAÑOSA: Po?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: It is a national road?
MAYOR CAÑOSA: It’s a provincial road po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Provincial road.
MAYOR CAÑOSA: Yes, from… So kasi ‘yung mga products po, ‘yung mga farm products like mga banana, ang hirap po talaga makadaan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mahaba ba ito? Gaano kahaba?
MAYOR CAÑOSA: Five to 8 kilometers lang naman po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Not so long. Again, send us the specifics.
Gov, oo nga pala ‘yung ano – ‘yung numbers ng – ito ‘yung mga projects, sino ‘yung mga number ng beneficiaries para ma-adjust natin ‘yung funding. Oo. Okay. All right.
I think at least the immediate – I think the immediate concerns have been addressed. I’m looking at the casualty rate and I think it’s not too bad considering that this was a surprise flash flood that we did not expect. Hindi tayo nakapaghanda.
Although the evacuation, as ever, ‘yung pre-evacuation talagang malaking naitutulong. Kaya’t I think that’s one of the reasons na hindi na masyadong mataas ‘yung ating casualty rate both – in some of our disaster areas.
And again, I think we have addressed, as I said, the immediate problems and the support of our evacuees, the support of the people who are right now nasa alanganin sila nang kaunti dahil nga sa baha.
All right, is there anything else anybody wants to cover? Okay. That is all. Thank you very much. Good afternoon. [applause]
GOV. UNABIA: Thank you Mr. President, in behalf of Misamisnons and my team, salamat sa bisita.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: No, no…
MAYOR CAÑOSA: Salamat din po Mr. President for visiting us.
MISAMIS ORIENTAL REP. YEVGENY “BAMBI” EMANO: And last, Mr. President, you know the province is actually celebrating its 93rd birthday and we had the most wonderful gift that the President himself came and visited the province of Misamis Oriental. Thank you very much, Mr. President. [applause]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you. Okay. Salamat.
– END –
SOURCE: PCO-PND (Presidential News Desk)
