PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.: All right. Good morning. Good morning everyone. All right dito naman tayo sa Rizal province to see what were the effects and what is the present situation, and then siguro we can also spend a little time, ways forward, long-term solution, because naiba talaga ito. Lahat nung nakita ko — that’s the conclusion I keep arriving at.
This is different from anything we ever had to deal with before.
That’s why we have to come up with new ways to mitigate what is essentially a much harder problem than it was before.
Anyway, to get on with the ano… Ang pag-uusapan natin afterwards.
Gov. Nina, if you would provide us with the updates from the provincial government.
RIZAL GOVERNOR NINA YNARES: Mr. President, good morning.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good morning.
GOV. YNARES: Good morning, Mr. President and good morning to everyone who’s here with us. First, I’d like to welcome you to the province of Rizal and second I’d like to thank you for giving us attention and your time as we go through the Typhoon Carina.
And Mr. President, out of the 14 towns, we have three towns here in Rizal that have been badly hit, namely here in San Mateo, we have 27 evacuation centers with 3,031 evacuees — these are families, 3,031 families; in Montalban, we have 27 evacuation centers, with 3,170 family evacuees; Cainta, with 19 evacuation centers and 2,213 families; Tanay, with nine evacuation centers and 215 families.
Mr. President, San Mateo and Montalban is near the Marikina River. We are affected by the activities of Marikina River and Cainta is where floodway is located as well, thus giving us flood problems in these areas.
We have eight injured, one missing, and two dead during this typhoon. We also have a problem in Tanay, Mr. President. Sta. Ines, nasa taas po siya ang Sta. Ines. For how many days already, hindi na sila makakuha ng food, wala ng maitindang pagkain doon ang mga barangay.
We have been trying to… Every day, in fact today, nag-attempt pa rin kaming akyatin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What’s the problem? What’s the…?
GOV. YNARES: They’re not… Kalsada po. May mga roads na nasira sa Tanay.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Nasira talaga ‘yung daan.
GOV. YNARES: Opo, ‘yung daan. So, they were saying that parang aerial po ang tinitingnan nila. However…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How many are there isolated now in Sta. Ines?
GOV. YNARES: To be exact, Mayor Lito Tanjuatco is here. Mayor how many exactly?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mayor, ilan na ‘yung…?
TANAY MAYOR LITO TANJUATCO: Tanay, Rizal po. Magandang tanghali.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Magandang tanghali.
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Sta. Ines po 3,000 ang families po doon. [inaudible] ang kalsada po namin doon along the river kaya… Mayroon po kaming ginawang kalsada [inaudible] nag-landslide naman po [inaudible]. Kaya ‘yun po ang problema namin, since Monday po wala na pong biyahe para mag-deliver ng pagkain.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pagka ganun karami, ‘yung airdrop kulang ‘yun, if you’re talking about 3,000 families.
Kailangan ayusin ‘yung daan kahit for now lang. Kailangan truck-truck ang papasok na relief goods. Hindi puwedeng sa heli. Hindi kakayanin ‘yan. Ilan ang… How much can a Black Hawk carry?
GOV. YNARES: And the longer it takes po, the more needs they have, the more goods we need to bring.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyon na nga. All of the things that we always bring. Medicines, tubig… Well, I’m sure [inaudible] malinis na tubig. Basta’t all of those things and then medicines. And then eventually…
There’s no way to do it except to find a way to para maging passable kahit na alam mo na hindi naman umuulan pa, kahit na ano muna. Parang — kahit na muna hindi sementuhin, ‘di ba. Madaanan lang.
Pero huwag nating iiwanan ganun. Kailangan at some point mabalikan namin para ayusin talaga.
GOV. YNARES: If it’s okay po na may airdrop sana pang-temporary solution lang.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How many — like for example, food packs — do you need?
GOV. YNARES: Where’s Mayor? Mayor Tanjuatco?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What is the lift weight of UH-60? How much can it carry? 10,000 pounds.
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Siguro maski mga 1,500 po muna. 1,500 muna na food pack po.
RIZAL REP. JOSE ARTURO S. GARCIA: 1,500 po. 1,500 initial.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Do we know how much that weighs? We never had to make that calculation before. ‘Di bale. Baka naman kakayanin more than one trip. Pag-aralan nga natin to see how we can…
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT (DSWD) SECRETARY
REX GATCHALIAN: Mr. President, I’ll talk to OCD nandiyan naman sila.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ayan pala, they’re here, you’re here. O, ‘yan.
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: We’ll try to coordinate how to bring…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Alam niyo ba kung…
OFFICIAL: Chopper po sana…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi… Mag-chopper tayo ng…?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Nandoon na po ‘yung food pack po natin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo nga. Oo, nag-preposition tayo.
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Tama po, preposition.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pero kung talagang wala, matagal na. Tatlong araw na itong hindi…
GOV. YNARES: Everyday we’re attempting.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So, it’s relief goods and water.
GOV. YNARES: And medicines most likely.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: And then medicines ang susunod. Oo nga ‘no.
GOV. YNARES: Madala lang po. Mayroon naman po actually prinepare (prepare) na. Iyon lang para madala doon. Hindi namin magawa.
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Mayroon na po. Naka-ready na po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mayroon ba kayong picture nung daan? Para makita natin. Baka naman kaya nung mga malalaking truck.
GOV. YNARES: May picture ka ba nung Tanay? Nakuha ba natin?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kakayanin ba nung… Mayor, makakaya ba ng malalaking truck?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Hindi po makakapasok po ang army truck po. Iyan po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kahapon ito?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Kahapon pa po ‘yan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ganyan pa rin ang agos?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Oo, ganyan pa rin po. Hindi lang po taga-Tanay po ‘yan pati po taga-Quezon. Sa Tanay po lahat dumadaan sila sa amin.
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
RIZAL REP. GARCIA: Dati ‘yan may temporary bridge po. Kailangan talaga permanent bridge po. Dati kahoy po ‘yan eh. [inaudible] Iyong long-term po diyan, talagang [inaudible].
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Wala ba tayo ‘yung mga kagaya sa military, ‘yung mga pontoon bridge. Basta ilalagay lang na ganun na lumulutang. Puwede ‘yung tangke doon dumaan. Wala ba tayong ganun?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. Okay.
GOV. YNARES: That’s Tanay. But we have more problems.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Please go ahead.
GOV. YNARES: We are now in San Mateo. Now po Mr. President, if you will see San Mateo, and even Montalban, kami po ‘yung dalawang magkatabi na nakadikit po sa Marikina River. You won’t see the water anymore. Mabilis po siyang umakyat, ngunit mabilis po din siyang bumaba.
But this is the situation noong pumasok ang tubig na sobrang bilis dito sa San Mateo.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi ba tayo gumagamit noong weir? Iyong tinatawag na weir. It’s not a dam. It’s a weir. It’s a different thing.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS (DPWH) SECRETARY
MANUEL BONOAN: Mr. President, actually dito sa may… This is — ‘yung floodwaters po nito is coming from Sierra Madre, I understand. Sierra Madre po ito. And the plan before was actually to build the Marikina Dam [inaudible]. Iyong floodwaters but mayroon na ho kasing nilalagay sa Wawa Dam for water supply. So, our plan now is to build a series of small dams sa ibaba ng Wawa Dam so that itong mga floodwaters na ito will be impounded.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyong weir kasi — pagka wala namang tubig, like now, sinasabi ni Gov, wala ka nang makitang tubig doon sa ilog. So, bakit pa tayo maglalagay ng dam. If there’s a weir pinapadaan niya ang tubig pero mayroon siyang binabagalan niya ‘yung takbo…
I don’t see a weir here in this country which is parang bagay na bagay sa atin ‘yun. It’s a weir, called w-e-i-r, weir. Maybe it’s applicable here in the Philippines. I think it might be because I’ve seen it in other places and although the water passes, mababa ‘yung tubig dito sa baba, mas mataaas ‘yung tubig doon sa taas. Pero dumadaan ‘yung tubig, pati isda nakakadaan.
GOV. YNARES: Mr. President, sometime this month we were together with the inauguration of Wawa Dam and they were saying that — we saw it was empty and it would take six months for them to fill it up.
As of now po, with the two days rain, it’s almost filled up. Six months supposedly, but now in two days…
OFFICIAL: Just imagine kung wala ‘yan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo, kung wala ‘yan.
OFFICIAL: Hanggang ngayon sir, may tubig pa rin ang NCR kung wala ‘yang dam na ‘yan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: When was this picture taken?
GOV. YNARES: Yesterday, yes. Yesterday. That’s what they said and we were there less than a month ago.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: In three days. Ganun ‘yung tubig na bumagsak.
GOV. YNARES: If without it, I feel that most likely San Mateo and Montalban would be down and definitely Marikina and parts of Quezon City and even Pasig would be affected because of Laguna Lake.
Mr. President, actually we have po submitted last year to the DPWH. We have a pending plan — sa planning and services na dam reservoir, Wawa Dam reservoir downstream area. We submitted it po last year.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Three kilometers downstream. How big will it be?
DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Magkakaroon parang reservoir dito sa San Mateo and then series of small dams sa may itaas Mr. President.
This is now under consideration for financing sa Japanese government. We’re arranging it, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. So, at least we’re going… Okay. Can we see more about the effects of the flooding and the heavy rains?
GOV. YNARES: This is naman po, Mr. President ang area ng Cainta Rizal na — where floodway is. Diyan din po medyo mabigat po ang mga pagbaha.
In fact, that’s why I asked po our three mayors here, four mayors here that are badly hit — Cainta Mayor Elen Nieto; Montalban Mayor Ronnie Evangelista, and San Mateo Mayor Omie Rivera, and Tanay Mayor Tanjuatco for just in case there are details that need to…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. What’s the situation now? Maybe if that’s…
GOV. YNARES: For Cainta po? In general po?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, yes. Well, I don’t know. What else… If you have more for your briefing. Please go ahead.
GOV. YNARES: As I’ve said po, the 14 towns of Rizal naman po, there are parts that are more badly affected but the one that is — I’d also like to bring up is the effects of typhoons, it’s not just this typhoon or Ondoy. Palagi po tuwing mayroong bagyo pare-pareho po ang problema namin.
In fact, last year, exactly one year ago, we also had a big tragedy that cost us several lives from Binangonan-Cardona which is Talim Island because the only way for the people of Talim to get to the land is via boat.
In fact, the Coast Guard tells me that their problem is nagpo-police sila dahil may curfew dahil po sa alon, ‘yung mga teachers hindi nakakarating on time sa mainland minsan, ‘yung mga nagtuturo, at ‘yung mga estudyante dahil naiipit sila.
Ito po ‘yung tragedy that cost us 27 lives with 41 survivors. That’s another problem po in our province every time there’s a storm. Nata-trap po ang island namin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What happened again in this time?
GOV. YNARES: This time, I guess they got so scared of last year because one year ago ang daming namatay. Medyo na-control po.
DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Mr. President, the distance between Binangonan and Talim Island po is [inaudible] 200 meter. It’s a short distance. It can easily be connected with a bridge.
OFFICIAL: Mr. President, may request ho kami sa ating Regional Development Council and then ni-refer sa DPWH ‘yung bridge connecting Talim Island to town proper of Cardona.
DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Actually, matagal nang pinag-uusapan ‘yan [inaudible]. We were about to undertake that noong nandoon pa ako sa DPWH long before pero nag [inaudible]. So, this time I think — sabi ko nga, I think it should be easy actually to connect Talim from the mainland, Binangonan to Talim Island.
OFFICIAL: Willing ang province maki-share.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What is the plan for the bridge?
DPWH SEC. BONOAN: It’s just an ordinary reinforced concrete bridge.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pero how’s the financing? How will be the…?
DPWH SEC. BONOAN: It can be done by local.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kaya natin.
DPWH SEC. BONOAN: Yes, Mr. President. Maiksi lang. Kayang kaya ni Congressman Jojo.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. All right. So, that’s the Talim Island situation. Okay.
GOV. YNARES: Basically that one and of course, we have approximately 17.6 million worth, partial pa lang po ‘yan ng agricultural damage sa province din because of this storm, this particular storm.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Babalikan natin ‘yan. Our people are still out making the assessment. But will have to — we’re really assessing what are the areas that were deeply affected and to see what happened to the farmers, if they need — I’m sure they will need assistance. Ayon, 684 farmers. We have to identify them.
All right. Okay.
GOV. YNARES: I just like to thank you po ulit and your Cabinet secretaries that you don’t forget us.
Just yesterday, our Department of Health was here and even if we have — we tried to be as independent na hindi ho kaming maging pabigat sa national but sometimes of course we truly appreciate the help and it’s very much welcome when it comes…
He promised us the medicines for leptospirosis and I think I’m very grateful for that mobile lab that the First Lady gave us.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, nagagamit.
GOV. YNARES: Yes.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, good.
GOV. YNARES: But we are being threatened by Congressman Garcia, i-impound daw niya pag hindi daw niya nakuha ‘yung lab na ‘yun sa probinsya. Ito-tow truck daw po niya. And I’d like also like to thank also Secretary Gatchalian also na hindi pa ho — before we could even make our request, he already reached out to us.Of course, all our other secretaries have been very, very helpful to us. Thank you very much po, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You shouldn’t be shy about asking for help from the national. That’s what we’re here for. So, I’m happy that they’re all managing to follow the procedure. All right. So, I think the next report will be from DILG.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (DILG) SECRETARY BENHUR ABALOS: Yes, Mr. President. Governor, Magandang umaga po. Of course, our congressman, mayors.
Ipe-presenta ko lang. Nasabi na po halos lahat po ni Governor. But very quickly po.
Sa Rizal po, Cainta, San Mateo, and Rodriguez has this SB resolution State of Calamity.
Lahat po ng ng LCEs o local chief executives talagang gumalaw from the governors, congressman, mayors, barangay captains. At status of evacuation sa Rizal po is, as of July 26, 5 AM, 1,466 families or 6,255 individuals.
Status of lifelines, Morong, not passable, closed; San Mateo, lima po; at sa Rodriguez ‘yung isang bridge is not passable.
Power interruptions sa Rizal, dalawa; Cardona isa; Morong, isa po ang walang kuryente.
Flooded areas, nakalista po lahat dito…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: As of 5 AM — okay.
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Yes, sir. As of 6 AM, July 26 po ‘yung power interruptions, Mr. President. Yes.
Sa flooded area naman po July 26, 6 AM, nakalagay po rito lahat. Ang Angono, Kalayaan, Poblacion; Cainta, San Juan; Baras, Santiago, Pinugay; Cardona, Calahan; Morong, San Juan; Pililla, Imatong; Antipolo, Cupang, Mayamot, San Jose; Rodriguez, Burgos, San Jose, San Isidro, Manggahan; San Mateo, marami po, Ampid I, Sta. Ana, Guinayang, Maly, Malanday, [Guitnang] Bayan; Taytay, San Juan, Santa Ana, San Isidro, Dolores, Muzon.
Status of dams po, napakita po ‘yung picture ng Upper Wawa kanina. It’s normal level. At ang Kaliwa Dam is now ongoing construction, Mr President. So wala pong ni-release na tubig. Normal water level po.
Casualties, sa San Mateo po may isang namatay noong July 24 at sa Rodriguez, dalawa po noong July 24. Missing, isa po sa Cainta noong July 23, at isa po sa San Mateo noong July 24.
Ito po ‘yung mga identified hard-hit areas. Sinabi po kanina ni Governor: San Mateo, Montalban, Cainta, and Tanay. And aside from this, we have gathered also that Rodriguez had 3,227 families or 13,000 individuals. Sinama na rin po namin ‘yung Taytay, Morong and Angono.
Just some pictures. Ito lang ho, very quickly, Mr. President. This is Cainta at the height of the flood. Angono. Ito po yung sa Angono, 4-A
Rodriguez, ganyan din po ang nangyari. Rodriguez spillway, Puray, Rizal, others. Ganyan po. Ito rin po sa Rodriguez, Rizal, San Isidro..
Morong, ito pong nangyari sa Morong. May mga putik po, Mr. President. San Guillermo, Rizal. Ito rin po sa Morong halos talagang puro tubig na rin. Morong, San Pedro. San Mateo. Ito po ang mga flooded areas ng San Mateo.
Okay. Ang mga situation sa — Taytay. Ito po sa Taytay at ito naman po ang ginawa ng ating mga mayors, mga governor, all officials. Sa Cainta, ‘yung conducted search and relief ‘no, mga goods at nag-search and rescue sila. Actually, lahat naman nag-relief eh ‘no, halos ganito po ginawa nila.
This is Cainta, Mr. President. This is Angono. This is Rodriguez ‘no, talagang maski maulan lahat nasa baba po. Maski na umuulan, mayroon pang ginagawa ang engineering office. Sa Morong, sa Rizal ganun din. Nakikita ninyo ho, talagang nag-force evacuation na ho dito sa San Mateo ‘no at sa ibang lugar. Talagang pinilit na po nila ‘yung mga nakatira loob.
This is also Taytay, Rizal, Antipolo; Rizal, Baras. Rizal, Binangonan. Pililla po, ito naging problema pa ‘yung mga water hyacinth, mga waterlily ‘no kaya tinanggal pa rin dahil bumabara ho, Mr. President ‘no. Itong mga water hyacinth. Okay. Iyon lang po, Mr. President. Thank you.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. So, that was — ‘yung mga kuha na ‘yan, kahapon ‘yan?
OFFICIAL: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Malamang kahapon. Ngayon, may tubig pa rin ba sa mga lugar na ‘yan?
GOV. YNARES: Wala na po halos tubig pero ‘yung damage nila, kasi nga po ang lubog hanggang bubong. So, naiwan… They cannot go back to their normal lives yet.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Clearly not. No. I’m asking about the water para to see if puwede na tayong — what part of the relief and rehabilitation operation are we in. So, the only…
I’m always worried about may — nakakalimutan ‘yung isolated area. So, ‘yung kaisa-isang barangay na nasa taas.
So, we’ll have to do something about that to see. Ganun pala ‘yun, mahirap ayusin ‘yun. Paano mo tatawirin ‘yung ano… Ganun pa rin kataas ang tubig ngayon? Hanggang ngayon? Iyong kagaya sa video?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Hanggang ngayon po, ganun pa rin po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ganyan pa rin ang itsura? Pati agos, ganyan din?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Hindi po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi na gaano malakas?
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Malakas pa rin po ngayon at malayo po pinanggagalingan po nung tubig po noon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo, galing pa sa taas ‘yan. Paano natin gagawin ‘yun? How do we…? Siguro, we’ll have to find…
Jimmy, baka we’ll just have to resort to using boats. I don’t know what we can do on the national scale or we’ll just organize the locals na sila ang mag-water highway muna. We have to get those supplies up to those people na tatlong araw na nga na hindi napuntahan. I’m always thinking iyong matatanda saka ‘yung mga bata. Sila ang tatamaan niyan.
So, let’s find a way to do that. I think… You work together with the provincial government ‘no, sa DILG and with Jimmy para makaano tayo ng paraan. Sec. Manny will do everything he can, as quickly as he can pero in those conditions, it’s very hard to put something up. And whatever it is, it might take time. These people haven’t eaten for three days.
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Sir, I’ll call up DND rin, AFP. Baka puwede mga helicopters for the meantime, airlift.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: For the meantime… Basta’t hanap tayo ng paraan, kailangan magparating tayo ng pagkain doon. Pagkain, tubig. Pati na ‘yung those… Do we still have those water purification systems?
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Yes, sir, from MMDA.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pero hindi mo maiakyat. Kailangan isakay sa helicopter.
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Ipapa-airlift kaya po muna namin, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kaya ba?
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Kaya naman siguro. Ano lang, sir, nakaganun lang ‘yun.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, tama, tama…
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Very portable. Alam po ni Cong, he’s from MMDA. He’s a former GM.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyon ang anuhin natin para may tubig. We have [inaudible] water. But you know, we’ll have to find a way, you guys you’ll just have to work together. Medicines also. Sec. Ted, medicines also. Basically, all the usual things that we bring up kapag doon sa mga tinamaan na lugar. The problem — we have all of these things nakahanda pati ‘yung sa inyo naka-ready na. Paano natin ita-transport pataas?
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) SECRETARY TEODORO HERBOSA: Mr. President, baka suggestion ko rin. Iyong mga elderly at saka ‘yung mga may sakit, rather than give the medicines to them, dalhin na lang. Kasi nga as you said, they are high risk there. Mahirap magdala ng pagkain, ng tubig, ng gamot. Sila na lang ang…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Three thousand families?
DOH SEC. HERBOSA: Hindi, ‘yung may sakit lang.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, ‘yun lang…
DOH SEC. HERBOSA: Elderly, ‘yung mga may illness. Baka mayroon doon mga hindi nakakakuha ng gamot.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Air ambulance natin. Bring them to the…
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So, yeah, we can perform some triage muna so we can decide who needs to go immediately.
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Mr. President, I suggest kung may landing area ang helicopter doon para immediate relief kaagad. Pa-scout po natin.
MAYOR TANJUATCO: Mayroon na po.
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Iyong dating pinuntahan natin? Oo, ‘yun po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyon pala. O ‘di may la-landing na ‘yung eroplano. Hindi na kailangang mag-airdrop. Puwede palang mag-landing. O sige, pag-aralan natin ‘yun para… Sana we can get something done today, oo. You coordinate with DND, I’m sure they’re ready. Sa OCD, pag-aralan na nga ninyo. Sana mayroon na tayong maidala ngayong araw.
OFFICE OF CIVIL DEFENSE (OCD) ASSISTANT SECRETARY HERNANDO CARAIG JR.: I will discuss this with the SND, sir, this afternoon. I’m reporting to him…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Siguro mag-assign lang kayo ng dalawa sigurong helicopter. Puwede na iyan.
OCD ASEC. CARAIG: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kahit pabalik-balik.
OCD ASEC. CARAIG: Yes, sir.
OFFICIAL: Capinpin is near.
OFFICIAL: May kampo po doon. Malapit lang.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: O, ‘yun pala. Sayang. Nandiyan naman ‘yung gamit. Hindi lang natin maipadala, both from the province, from the local at saka sa national, nandiyan naka-ready lahat. Iyon na lang. Let’s figure out the transportation. How do we transport all of these equipment, food, water, medicines, et cetera.
DILG SEC. ABALOS: Sir, we organized with OCD, call up DND, MMDA for the ano and DSWD for the food packs, and of course, the medicines from DOH, and also Coast Guard.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: After na-deliver na ‘yung ano, you can send a doctor and a nurse or whoever that we can spare for now. And if there are real emergencies, we will [inaudible]. All right. Okay. Now, sa relief efforts, let’s ask Sec
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Mr. President, I only have one slide. So, the chart refers to 12,755 goods that’s already on the ground. Ibig sabihin ng released either you’re picking it up or in the process of delivery or nabigay na. So, that’s 12,755 but we were working with the office of Gov. yesterday. We still have a pending 4,000 that’s already — it’s being picked up right now. So, we’re okay with that, Mr. President.
Now, itong sa Tanay, mayroon naman tayong goods. I’ll just work with Sec. Benhur kung paano namin iaakyat ho doon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyon na nga. That’s the main problem that we have now because the water has come down. We just have to… Rehabilitation and repair na ito. Pero may naiwang community na hindi pa naabutan. There is a whole town that we need to serve that we haven’t been able to provide assistance to.
So, let’s figure out the way. And if we can… If the SND can provide the two helicopters, I think we’ll be okay. Sakay lang tayo nang sakay hanggang kumpleto na.
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: That’s all from me, Mr. President. It’s a one slide presentation.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah, because most of your work was done previous and nauunahan natin ngayon ‘yung ano ‘yung crisis, kaya it’s just a continuation.
Just so I have some numbers in my head. How many people are remaining in the evacuation centers? How many we continue to assist who are outside the evacuation centers? Mayroon pa ba sa evacuation centers?
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Mr. President, you mean doon sa affected areas?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes.
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Mayroon pa ho, Mr. President, especially sa CAMANAVA like you saw yesterday. Doon pa rin ang may high concentration. Sa kanila kaunti na lang. The one we’re going to afterwards is parang 500 na…
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: One side, oo.
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Mr. President, in total yesterday afternoon, ‘yang number na ‘yan nasa mga ano pa siya, 33,000 nationwide ho. But I didn’t get the report this morning, they were still collating. Ang marami ho, as you saw yesterday sa northern Metro Manila at saka mayroon pa rin sa east Metro Manila, mayroon pa rin sila and sa kanila.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. But we are able to provide them…?
DSWD SEC. GATCHALIAN: Yes, Mr. President, tuloy-tuloy ho. We’ve already reached 700,000 mark ng releases. So, as they send more request, we keep on giving to the LGUs.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. So, Sec. Ted, the medical teams are going around? Checking on the evacuees?
DOH SEC. HERBOSA: Yes. Ang nakita ko yesterday, Mr. President, when I visited one of their evacuation sites, madami talagang mga elderly at saka women. And I realized, ‘yung sinabi ko kanina sa Quezon, ‘yung CAMPOLAS, ‘yung kit na binibigay namin ‘pag baha. Dito na-realize ko at inutos ko doon sa Assistant Secretary ko na bumili din kami ng mga gamot pang-high blood, pang-diabetes kasi ‘yun ang hindi nila dala, ‘yung chronic illnesses. Kasi ‘pag nag-evacuate sila, walang dalang gamot and most of them are elderly taking some form of medication. Nakausap ko ‘yung ibang pasyente. So, isasama ko na rin ‘yun sa — may quick release funds naman.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: But that’s — the slight problem, hitch that we ran into was that… Why don’t we just buy all the medicines give them out. We cannot give out medicines without a doctor’s prescription. So, we have to get that. That’s why [inaudible] I mean it doesn’t matter [inaudible]. I mean, I know it from experience. I know exactly what I need. No, no, no. I have to see you first.
DOH SEC. HERBOSA: Ayun ang maganda. Their local municipal health officers were also there… Sabi nga, 24 hours daw sila doon sa… Tinanong ko: “12 hours lang ba kayo?” “Hindi ho.” 24 hours ang cover nila ng healthcare.” So, support kami, the national government will support them.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So, okay. So, if it’s ongoing and yeah. All right. We’ll try and figure it out. We will figure out the problem of transporting the relief goods, medicines, water, basta supplies to the isolated town. Okay.
GOV. YNARES: Mr. President, if I may add also po. Here in San Mateo and Montalban, we have an ongoing project that’s funded by Congressman Duavit and Congressman Garcia that we are hoping to address the flooding situation as well. If I may hand the…
RIZAL REP. GARCIA: Sir, update lang po. Mayroon po kami rito ‘yung nakita niyo parang ilog kanina pero kalsada po ‘yun. We started the project na po for the first kilometer na nabigyan po tayo diyan. Ang solusyon lang po nakikita ng DPWH is para ‘yung tubig puro box culvert na malalaki going to Marikina River.
So, nasimulan na po ‘yung first one kilometer, hopefully po, sir, huwag mabitin, by next year ituloy na nila.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How long is it?
RIZAL REP. GARCIA: It’s less than five kilometers lang po ‘yun pati East Road. Iyon ‘yung parang ilog po. So, pagka nagawa na po, sir, ‘yung box culvert na malalaki doon, ang tubig sa ilalim na dadaan hindi na po aapaw. Iyon po ‘yung purpose natin doon.
At the same time po, nag-request po kami ng isang pumping station dito sa binababaan namin. The problem is hindi pa po tapos ‘yung riprap nung buong Marikina River. Kailangan po i-cover po muna natin ‘yun at the same time po inano po namin ni Gov. na pag riprap, sayang ‘yung riprap po natin lagyan na lang two lanes na kalsada ‘yung taas kasi po ang San Mateo po and Montalban nasa amin po ang landfill and aggregates. So, lahat po ng truck dito po sa amin dumadaan, ang problema isa lang po ang kalsada namin. Kaya nag-request na rin po kami pati ‘yung isang bridge going to Quezon City para lahat po ng aggregates, basura doon na po dadaan. Pending na po ‘yung request namin sa DPWH po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: O, sige. Tingnan natin. All right. Ayan, iba na ‘yan. That’s already sa infrastructure development. Okay. Is there anything else that anybody would like to add? Yes, please go ahead.
RODRIGUEZ MAYOR RONNIE EVANGELISTA: Sir, Mayor Evangelista of Montalban. This has been a recurring problem sa Montalban po. Palaging binabaha kahit hindi bumabagyo, malakas na ulan lang binabaha po tayo considering na mayroon na rin po tayong Upper Wawa Dam. Nabawasan ‘yung flow pero despite that bumaha pa rin. So meaning, hindi pa natin naa-adapt ‘yung — kasi nasa impounding pa lang tayo sa Upper Wawa Dam. Iyong bumagsak na tubig dito mainly ‘yung after the Wawa Dam.
Now, ang hinahanap po natin katulad po nung sabi niyo kanina is we need a long-term solution sa pagbaha po. I would suggest na we should review ‘yung flood mitigating projects po natin sa Montalban, in particular po sa Montalban.
Because instead kasi na… Na-constrict po ‘yung mga tubig, ‘yung mga waterways, sumikip. And therefore kung masikip po ‘yan madaling tataas ang level ng tubig.
So, ‘yung mga outfall ng mga subdivision na nauna nang nagawa ay nagba-backflow, instead na mag-outfall is nagba-backflow. Kaya I would suggest po na i-review.
And another one is, I think, for the consideration of Sec. Bonoan. We need to widen itong lahat ng waterways natin especially itong Marikina River ‘no kasi kung puno na ‘yung Marikina River, lahat ng mga tributaries natin wala nang babagsakan, mag-o-overflow.
If you will notice, lahat ng nasa tabi ng mga tributaries natin, maliit man o malaki, ito ‘yung lumulubog kadalasan kasi po ay wala nang madaluyan ng tubig. Kaya we need to maximize the width of the river and of course dredging para mabilis po ‘yung bagsak ng tubig. For your consideration naman, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo. All right. Well, ang talagang tinitingnan namin is mga koleksiyon. Mag-imbak ng tubig na — para hindi na bumaba. Iyon ang talagang solution diyan. Kasi nag-u-urbanize tayo kaya nagkakaproblema.
Iyong pinuntahan ko kahapon Navotas at saka sa Valenzuela. Iyong Valenzuela, talagang iba ‘yung problema sa Valenzuela. Nasa basin sila. Basta’t makapasok ‘yung tubig, walang pupuntahan ‘yun, maiiwan talaga doon kaya magbobomba sila.
Hindi sila makapagbomba dahil high tide. So, kahit magbomba sila, babalik at babalik. Iyon ang naging problema. Pero, sinasabi ng barangay sa ibang lugar, “Matagal na kaming hindi binaha dito, 15 years na. Ngayon lang kami binaha ulit after Ondoy.”
And the reason is lumiliit talaga ang — nag-u-urbanize eh. So, wala nang pupuntahan ‘yung tubig. Iisa na lang. Pakaunti nang pakaunti ‘yung puwedeng daanan ng tubig. So, ‘yun ‘yung main artery ay napupuno kaagad dahil nasara na ‘yung mga ibang ilog. Iyong mga ibang creek, mga ibang ilog sarado na lahat dahil nalagyan na ng bahay, nalagyan na ng building.
So, we have to really get the problem upstream. Iyon ang talagang ano… Pero, that’s a long-term solution. In the meantime, tama wala tayo — napipilitan tayong mag-dredge. Mahal-mahal mag-dredge pero wala tayong magagawa kailangan nating gawin.
We have to continue to dredge. Pati ‘yung… Kasi, marami ang nagsa-suggest pati sa, halimbawa sa tabi ng ilog na taasan na lang nang taasan ‘yung dike. Sabi ko, “Hindi rin, aabutin din ‘yun.” Kasi numinipis talaga ‘yung dinadaanan ng tubig. Kailangan — bago pa bumaba ‘yung tubig maano na natin — malagay na natin sa collection, ma-collect na natin. Magagamit pa natin pang-irrigation, pang-ano. Pag tag-araw, may tubig tayo.
Yeah, that’s the problem. Kaya naman kami nag-iisip nang mabuti kasi ito nga. This is climate change. Ito na ‘yung climate change. Kapag naririnig mo ‘yung climate change. Tingnan ninyo ulit video ng dumadaan na ilog na ang lakas-lakas ng agos, na ang taas-taas ng tubig. Iyan ‘yung climate change. Tapos ‘yung dinaanan nating anim na buwan na walang ulan. That’s climate change. That’s why we have to find better solution. Buti na lang nakuha na natin ‘yung Loss and Damage Board para puwede tayong makakuha ng funding doon kapag sa…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. O, anything else? Sige lang. Yes, ma’am.
CAINTA MAYOR MARIA ELENITA NIETO: Good afternoon, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good afternoon.
MAYOR NIETO: Maybe just an appeal because right now we have a project with the DPWH and I understand it precedes me. So, it’s been two to three years na. It’s a floodgate pumping station along — going East bank. It was shown kanina.
And right now, based on our agreements, we’re able to, you know, make relocation 30 percent na. But somehow, the mobilization on the part of the DPWH I think is a bit slow. And I hope — and there’s also this coordination with the National Housing Authority because the relocation takes place in Rizal also in Baras.
So, our part you know, we are doing our part but it’s a big help if we really speed up the process for that pumping station and floodgate. It’s along East Bank. It’s nationally funded kasi and I just appeal for that.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right. The Secretary has taken note of it. All right. Are we okay?
SAN MATEO MAYOR OMIE RIVERA JR.: Mr. President, habol na rin po ako. Na-observe po namin nitong baha, bumilis ho ‘yung baba ng tubig because of the dike constructed sa Marikina. Sa San Mateo po ang amin pong length of the riverbanks from the boundary ng Marikina to Montalban is only about seven kilometers. Ang nagagawa lamang po rito is about two kilometers. Kung makukumpleto ho sana ito I think male-lessen po ‘yung flooding kung bibilis na po –
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
MAYOR RIVERA: Yes, ‘yung dike po. So, sana po. Thank you po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Marikina, kamuntik nang nag-overflow. Ang lapit na, 0.3 meters ang natira. Kamuntik na. Isipin ninyo kung wala ‘yung Wawa Dam. Pero ang gulat ko napuno agad. Oo, anim na buwan bago mapuno daw dapat.
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Wala, wala, tuyong-tuyo pa. Ang baba pa nung tubig noon. Nagulat nga ako sa picture. Hindi ko akalain na ganun kabilis magkakaroon ng…
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oo, naku. Isipin mo.
OFFICIAL: [off mic]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ibang klase talaga itong hinaharap natin ngayon. It’s not the usual monsoon. It’s not the usual typhoon. It’s another animal. Ibang klase. All right. Okay. Everybody. Maraming salamat.
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