BARMM INTERIOR MINISTER NAGUIB SINARIMBO: His Excellency, the President; the Special Assistant to the President Secretary Lagdameo; Secretary of the National Defense Secretary Faustino; Secretary Ben Abalos; Secretary Bonoan; Secretary Tulfo; the honorable Senator Padilla; colleagues from the different agencies of the government, and with the kind permission of the Chief Minister, may we present, Mr. President, the updates and the actions taken at the level of the regional government on Tropical Storm Paeng. [next slide please]
If you look at the affected population for the whole of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region as of October 31, we have a total number of population affected by the tropical storm now reaching 568,969 or roughly half a million of the population of the region that’s been affected by the tropical storm or translated into number of families that’s 217,719 families.
In all, a total of 442 barangays have been affected by the typhoon. The provinces and the cities affected are as follows: Province of Basilan with five municipalities affected; Lanao del Sur, six municipalities affected; the Province of Maguindanao, combined Maguindanao del Sur and del Norte, 31 municipalities; the Province of Sulu, one municipality; the Province of Tawi-Tawi in particular the capital town of Bongao; the City of Cotabato; and the Special Geographic Area consisting of the 63 barangays in North Cotabato that joined the Autonomous Region in 2019.
As to number of casualties as of 6 p.m. yesterday, these are the cumulative numbers. We have a total death of 52 broken down into the following: in Datu Blah Sinsuat – 7; in Datu Odin Sinsuat – 32; in Upi – 8; in Barira – 3; in South Upi – 1; in Bongao in the Province of Tawi-Tawi – 1.
We have just received, Mr. President, a report from Sulu that once death also occurred in the municipality of Indanan just today, Mr. President. Missing is 13 and injured 31.
We have already directed the suspension of work in all government offices. This advisory was issued by the Chief Minister on October 28, 2022. Classes also at all levels have been suspended effective 28 October 2022. [next slide please]
If you look at status of lifelines, which is critical in our relief operation today, these are the road networks most affected: Cotabato going to Marawi or Cotabato going to Pagadian; two critical bridges have been damaged — one is the Nituan Bridge in Parang, the other is Sarakan Bridge in Matanog. As to the Nituan Bridge, Mr. President, effective yesterday, this can now be used by light vehicles. The same is true with the Sarakan Bridge in Matanog. This is now open to light vehicles.
The other critical road is the Cotabato-General Santos Road. The major challenge is the Labu-Labu Bridge in Datu Hoffer. Per information from the PMO of the DPWH operating in the region, they will be able to repair this in three days, Mr. President. Currently, motorcycles and individuals can actually cross the bridge.
The third important lifeline is the road network that connects the municipality of Datu Blah to the center of government in Cotabato City. There are three blockages here, Mr. President. One is the damaged bridges in Datu Odin Sinsuat, two bridges and a landslide that has fallen on the road along Matuber in Datu Blah Sinsuat. So we cannot use this one currently. We cannot use the Datu Odin-Datu Blah Access Road to bring relief to Datu Blah.
There is an access road which is important from Upi going down to Datu Blah. The problem is the bridge in Barangay Kabakaba which has been damaged on both ends. The approach of the bridges was destroyed.
Effective yesterday, the local government units of Upi and Datu Blah managed to restore traffic in this bridge, Mr. President. In fact, the Chief Minister managed to reach Datu Blah yesterday using this alternate route. The other critical road is the one that leads us to Upi and to Lebak, the Cotabato-Lebak Road. The major challenge there is a section of the road has been blocked by a landslide caused in Barangay Romangaob in South Upi. Currently that is not passable. Efforts are now underway to clear this one.
As far as Cotabato-Upi Proper in Nuro is concerned, that has been cleared by the Ministry of Public Works of the regional government. [the next slide please]
If you look at the map, Mr. President, to the bottom on the left side of the screen, are the municipalities of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Upi, Datu Blah, and South Upi. Down below which is marked by the blue is actually the Ligawasan Marsh. The usual flooding, Mr. President, in this region occurs in the community surrounding the Ligawasan Marsh, at the center of that map.
The perennial flooding in this area has not caused death. This has not also caused death in the 28 October incident. Death has been recorded principally in Datu Odin, Upi, Datu Blah, and South Upi, and another municipality to the north which is Barira. These are mountainous municipalities, Mr. President. And therefore the major cause of the death was a mix of flooding and landslides, which was not anticipated.
The slow rise of water level in the Ligawasan Marsh because of its very nature as the catch basin has not really caused death for us. It is the unusual rainfall that fell from 27 October to 28 October that has actually caused death in the municipality of — or rather in the province of Maguindanao. [the next slide please]
An examination for instance of Mt. Minandar which is directly above Kusiong, where major number of death has occurred would demonstrate that indeed it is landslide and flashflood that has caused the death of our people. Similar photos shown on the Datu Blah site as well as Upi demonstrates that it’s really the landslide and the unusual rainfall on 28 and 27 October that caused the death.
Power lines [next slide please] — as of today, powers have been restored in South Upi and Upi. It is only in Datu Blah, Mr. President, where we have not restored power as yet. There is no report as to damage in communication facilities in the region.
PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS: The power that you have not yet been able to restore is that a main line or that’s the electrical cooperative?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Distribution line, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Distribution. So cooperative muna. Okay but the main lines from ano the national grid are all — they are all functioning?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Yes, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay.
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: On water system, there are two water systems damaged. One is the main pipeline of the Parang water system that supplies the municipality of Parang. Second is the Metro Cotabato Water District in Datu Odin Sinsuat. The source of the water which is Dimapatoy River has overflown and recorded also landslides in this area. So the supply of water in Cotabato City has also been affected.
Status of ports and airports. The airport in Cotabato resumed full operation on October 31, 2022. PAL flight from Manila-Cotabato Sanga-Sanga Airport in Tawi-Tawi was cancelled due to operational requirements on 31 October 2022.
Seaport as of October 31, 2022, 6 p.m., seaports in Jolo, Sulu resumed full operations. [next slide please]
We have a summary of damaged houses as of October 31, 6 p.m., Mr. President. Although let me remind you this is just a partial accounting, the team has been deployed only effective yesterday for assessment of damages and needs.
In Basilan, partially damaged – 334; totally damaged – 98; in Maguindanao, 41 – partially damaged; totally damaged at 191; Tawi-Tawi, totally damaged – 50. This was caused by a storm surge in the municipality of Bongao. So we have a total damaged houses at 339; partially damaged, 375.
The cost of damages to agriculture — very partial, Mr. President — because the team are still in the fields, assessing the extent of damage. Total estimated cost is at 211,975,479.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Is that your estimate or the actual assessment?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: This is the actual as of yesterday, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So far, so madadagdagan pa ‘yan?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Opo, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay.
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Schools affected and learners in the whole of the region number of schools affected is at 1,241. Total number of learners affected is at 477,288.
What has so far been done at the level of the regional government. Let me walk you briefly on the actions taken. [the next slide please]
We received the emergency preparedness issuance from the NDRRMC Memorandum No. 181, s. 2022 on 26 October 2022. BARMM was directed to activate Bravo Protocol. On the same date that we received it, Mr. President, we have raised our alert status from white to blue. The Chief Minister issued a memorandum to this effect.
On 26 October 2022, we issued an urgent advisory to all local government units in the BARMM, that we have raised the level of alert from white to blue. [next slide please]
The downpour of heavy rains started actually in different areas of Maguindanao and Cotabato City on October 27, 2022 at around 9 p.m.
Report of flooding in Cotabato City and Maguindanao was received by the Emergency Operations Center on 28 October at around 1 a.m. So we have emergency number where people can actually call for — to report incidents of flooding.
To this effect, Mr. President, we have deployed several rescue teams, equipped with rubber boats. For this day in 28, our first deployment came at 5 a.m. [the next slide please]
This is the section of the national road that connects Cotabato City to Davao. This is in Sultan Kudarat where our rescue teams were deployed. Two teams in Sultan Kudarat.
At 8 o’clock that morning on 28 October, the Senior Minister Macacua, together with the other ministries as well as the commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division, convened at the Emergency Operations Center at the Government Center. We activated effective 28 at 8 a.m. the Emergency Operations Center in the region.
From that time on, we have had several meetings. [next slide please] We met with the Mindanao Humanitarian Team, which is a group of UN and INGO agencies operating in the region engaged in humanitarian work. We briefed them on the situation. We provided them the resources available to the region as well as what probably would be required by the regional government in the coming days.
On the same date, Mr. President, we started the clearing operations [next slide please] in areas where there has been blockage. This is a section of the road connecting Cotabato City to Nuro, Upi, the capital of the municipality of Upi. That road was cleared effective evening of 28. [next slide please]
Our rescue teams were deployed in the following areas: one is Upi, Dalican, Sultan Mastura, Parang as well as Sultan Kudarat.
We received a report of the landslide on noontime of 28 in particular in Barangay Kusiong in Datu Odin Sinsuat. The same time, I have asked the 6th Infantry Division early that morning to help us in the search and rescue in particular in Upi and Dimapatoy as well as Barangay Kusiong. [next slide please] [next slide]
So for two days, Mr. President, from 28-29, the focus of the regional government’s Emergency Operations Center was search and rescue because the chances of people trapped and being alive is still very high for two days.
At the same time, Mr. President, because we received that there are a lot of people who have been buried in Barangay Kusiong, we activated an incident command post for this particular area in Barangay Kusiong.
We designated the commanding general of the 6th Infantry Division to become the incident commander for search and rescue as well as retrieval in this area. As of today, the teams of rescuers are still in the area commanded by the good general of the 6th Infantry Division.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: The rescuers are from the AFP?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: It’s a combination of teams, Mr. President, from our Emergency Operations Center, the 6th ID, the Bureau of Fire, the Philippine National Police, as well as rescuers coming from other local government units.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right.
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: [next slide please] On 30 October, Mr. President, two days after, we have shifted the focus from search and rescue to now retrieval operations specific to Barangay Kusiong as well as relief operations.
So from 30 October up until today, Mr. President, the focus is on relief distribution. [the next slide please] [next slide please]
Shown are some of the relief operations that we have undertaken in the different municipalities of the province of Maguindanao, as well as in Sulu and in Tawi-Tawi. As of today, Mr. President, we have reached a total of 19,776 families provided already with relief.
Today, we are dispatching a total of 11 teams to distribute relief in the affected communities. [next slide please] [next slide] [next slide pa] [next slide please] [next slide please]
What are the top five needs based on the RDANA on the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis? We have deployed this team early morning yesterday, Mr. President. The identified needs are food, WASH, shelter, education, and health.
There are a total of 70 active evacuation centers. Total number of families in these evacuation centers are at 4,370; number of individuals at 22,115.
May I just point out, Mr. President, that in this case, the evacuation centers do not stay long because the residents are already returning to their homes except those whose houses have been completely damaged. So as the floodwater recedes, people are willing to go back to their homes.
What are the resources available at the Emergency Operations Center of the regional government? Manpower, we have a total of 151 — this has stayed intact; equipment of various kinds — from heavy equipment to ambulances, we have 41; food items quantity – 99,000. And because we have distributed already the remaining is at 30,000. Non-food items, we started with 25,181. We just have 7,565 left.
The breakdown of the available resources, Mr. President, as shown is the Ministry of Social Services and Development: rice with canned goods, we still have 157,000; at the Bangsamoro READi, which is the emergency response team, food pack is at 30,000; under the Office of the Chief Minister, Project Tabang, food is at 40,000. A total of 227,000, Mr. President.
Because we have declared a state of calamity at the regional level…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: 227,000 what?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Bags, sir, of rice.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Rice lang?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So ang ibinibigay is only rice?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Rice with canned goods, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pero you say you have a total of 227,000 but that is rice?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: That’s already with — pack, sir, with canned goods and coffee.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kayong gumawa?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Opo, nasa amin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Have you used the — kasi the DSWD has a standard package. Iyong the earlier slide where the immediate needs was food, WASH, shelter, that the — ‘yung binibigay nila has a complete — completely answers all of those needs.
So siguro gayahin — well, gamitin niyo ‘yung sa DSWD at saka if you are going to make your own pack — kasi mayroon naman kayong calamity fund na ginagamit — so if you are going to make your own packs, puwede siguro gawin natin na pareho doon sa binibigay ng DSWD because that comes from a long experience na what are the needs of the victims of a calamity like this.
Yeah just so that talagang we have — nakakapagbigay tayo ng lahat ng pangangailangan ng mga victims.
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Yes, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right, thank you.
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: In fact, the OCD have also provided assistance to us. We have already deployed that already in the different municipalities, Mr. President.
As to budget, Mr. President, we still have remaining funds in the Quick Response Fund of 1.09 billion. That’s good up to December, Mr. President. Because of the declaration, we will access this, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How much have you spent during this calamity?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Wala pa ho kaming accounting nung actual amount kasi prepositioned ho ‘yung mga goods na hawak natin ngayon, Mr. President. But we will do an accounting po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Saan galing ‘yung prepositioned niyong goods?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Galing ho sa Quick Response Fund natin, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So nakabili na kayo ng mga ano…?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Previously.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Before this happened?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Opo, may naka-preposition ho talaga tayo doon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Before Paeng came, you already had prepositioned the ano — ?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Goods. Yes, Mr. President. So that’s the briefing from us, Mr. President. Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I was looking at the report on the damages to the bridges. Who is going to do the repair on the bridges?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: It is a combination, Mr. President. In the case of national roads and bridges, it is the project management office of the DPWH national, who also sits in the Operations Center in the region, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You have no…? Why? You do not have a district office in the Bangsomoro? You should have a district office para hindi — that’s just a management office.
You need — pagka ganito, you need a district office. Bakit wala pa tayong…? Sec. Manny, ba’t wala pa tayong district office?
DPWH SECRETARY MANUEL BONOAN: I understand Mr. President that this has been the arrangement made —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right.
SEC. BONOAN: — when the BARMM was established.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You should look into that because it will make everything much easier kapag may district office na that is designated to the BARMM area.
That’s why I asked about the bridges kasi ‘yan ang pinakamahirap ayusin eh. Generally speaking, ‘yung kalsada more or less nagagawa ‘yan relatively quickly.
Okay. So you still have remaining in your calamity fund. What — nasa inyo pa ba ‘yung calamity budget of last year of ‘21?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Hindi na po, Mr. President, because of COVID. So we have utilized that in the case of the regional government we have fund for that.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So you spent the one billion — the one billion yata tama — 1.025 billion for last year?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Yes, Mr. President, for last year.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Nagamit lahat ‘yun sa COVID? Bakit bumili kayo ng vaccine?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Hindi ho kami bumili ng vaccine, Mr. President, dahil ang decision ng national government sila ho ang bibili. So what we provided our quarantine facilities, equipment for our hospitals, as well as transport for COVID patients —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So nagamit na lahat ‘yun. Okay. But you still have the remaining 1.098?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Yes, Mr. President, for this year.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So yeah, but that is the complete amount ‘no of the calamity fund?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Hindi po. May na-spend na tayo, Mr. President, during the early months for COVID.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah for COVID pa rin?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Opo. That’s the remaining po for this year sa atin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So ang total na calamity fund ninyo for ’22 was how much?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Roughly around 2 billion, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Was?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Two billion, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Two billion?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Opo.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah okay. All right. Okay thank you for the briefing.
I think the next to give us a briefing will be on the subject of the search, rescue, and retrieval. I think General Galido will be the one who will provide us with that. General, please proceed.
PHILIPPINE ARMY 6TH INFANTRY DIVISION CHIEF MAJOR GENERAL ROY GALIDO: Thank you very much, sir.
Sir, may I briefly present to you our activities as the incident manager of the landslide incident.
So shown on the screen are the major areas that were greatly affected by the flooding and landslide of tropical storm Paeng.
The damaged bridges as presented earlier by Minister Sinarimbo and presentation of roads that are passable and not passable.
Allow me sir to give you a brief background of the area. Sitio Tinabon, Dos wherein the location of the landslide. As you can see in the visual, this is not directly below the mountain ranges of Maguindanao.
This area is resided by 60 percent Teduray and 40 percent Maguindanaoan. And it is a relocation site.
And as of now, we have retrieved 21 cadavers. And based on the discussion with the community leaders and other members of the community, there are only four more missing.
So this is the view of the before and after. The landslide here on the right side of the screen, this is a one to two meters stockpile of loose soil. And most of the structure here are made of light material and majority were washed out except for those solidly made residential area. [next slide]
These are the personnel we are using right now. And the key here is the utilization of K9 dogs to determine if the area has a probable cadaver sight. [next slide]
That’s all for my presentation, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: ‘Yung component ng Davao Rescue —
MAJ. GEN. GALIDO: Yes…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: — na 37 na katao. And ‘yun ang sinasabi mo, it’s mixed, BARMM provided 25 personnel.
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: We have a mixed set of rescue groups in the area, Mr. President, but it’s principally led by the incident commander General Galido. Army is there, the Bureau of Fire is there. We have two teams from our Emergency Operations Center. One team from Lanao del Sur and I think two teams from Davao, who checked into the incident command post in the area under General Galido, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Specialist ba itong personnel na kinuha niyo sa Davao?
MAJ. GEN. GALIDO: Yes sir, they are rescue teams and we also — for the military personnel, they are trained on search and rescue.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right.
MAJ. GEN. GALIDO: Even the K9s that we used are — these are the dogs that we use for tracking.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. Go ahead. All right, is that it? Okay.
MAGUINDANAO GOVERNOR BAI MARIAM SANGKI-MANGUDADATU: Bismillah Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Magandang tanghali sa ating minamahal na Pangulo Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos; sa ating Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo; to our very supportive DILG Secretary that from time to time, kinakamusta po ang lalawigan, ang bawat munisipyo, at ang ating mga constituents sa buong lalawigan ng Maguindanao; and of course sa ating DPWH Secretary Sir Bonoan; sa ating Senator Robin Padilla; sa ating DSWD who is very much active ‘no, from the very first day of hitting us, the Bagyong Paeng, tumawag po kaagad through the initiative of our DND; to Sir Galido, good afternoon; and to my fellow public servants, all the mayors, my Vice Governor, Bai Ainee Sinsuat; and to all the BARMM officials, once again good afternoon.
So the Province of Maguindanao, Tropical Storm Paeng situational report. This is — this report as of October 31, 2022 at 6:04 a.m. So the one red or the map here, that is the Province of Maguindanao.
So in the Province of Maguindanao, we have 36 municipalities, in which 30 of them are affected. It means 78 percent of our municipalities are affected, in which out of 508 barangays, 370 affected, and that is 72.83 percent; 172 barangays affected in low area that is in southern part of Mindanao, Maguindanao; and while in the northern area, affected barangays is 198.
The upland area, this is the Upi, Barira, Matanog, Maguindanao, South Upi. So ito po ‘yung apektado. While the coastal area that includes Datu Blah Sinsuat, Dati Odin Sinsuat.
In the lowland area, affected municipalities are Talayan, Maguindanao, Guindulungan, Northern Kabuntalan, Mamasapano Maguindanao, and Ampatuan, province of — district Maguindanao del Sur.
Affected population 124,501 families or 622,505 [individuals]. We have 61 deaths, 40 wounded, 17 missing.
By the way, for the information of each and everyone, we created the OpCen — Operations Center from the very first day of hitting us the Bagyong Paeng.
The Operations Center composed of four militaries, one BFP, one Coast Guard, two PNP coming from the provincial director, of course, from the office of our regional director, Regional Director Guyguyon. Thank you very much for sending us the PNP to help us monitor our Operations Center in the province of Maguindanao.
So these are the names and number of individuals who are — our casualty and injured and missing individuals in each municipality. So I will not mention the names na lang because I will give you the copy. Like in Barira, we have three. We have three deaths, three injured, one missing.
So nandiyan na rin po ‘yung edad nila at kung saan barangay po sila na-belong, particularly in Barira, in Datu Blah Sinsuat, nakalagay na rin po diyan. So I will give you the copy of this para hindi po tayo tumagal, sir. But we have still to be determined the name of the — some casualty that we have because right now mayroon pa tayong unclaimed casualty or death in the area of Datu Odin Sinsuat.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Gov, nagagamit niyo ba ‘yung K9 para hanapin ‘yung missing? Mayroon tayong mga…
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes sir, with the help of the 6th Infantry Division Commander, we have four K9.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good. So ‘yun ang nakakaano eh — nahahanap talaga nila kahit patay na at least nahahanap pa nila. Okay good.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: So the landslides happen — that is Barangay Kusiong of DOS; Barangay Romonggaob, Looy, South Upi; Barangay Maagabo Bayanga Sur, Upper Bayanga Sur Norte and Kabugaw Sapad of Matanog.
So we have the damaged bridges ‘no, we have 10, 10 bridges that are not passable ‘no. But as of now, we have two bridges that is passable right now in the municipality of Parang, that is in Nituan, Maguindanao del Norte. So in Labu-Labu, ganoon din po sir. Na-rehab na po sa tulong ng ating DPWH ang Labu-Labu bridge at Datu Hoffer Maguindanao.
So itong Labu-Labu sir, we cannot traverse Cotabato City. Dati-rati, inaabot namin ang Cotabato City by one hour and 15 minutes. But since hindi ito kayang madaanan ng mga medium or heavy loads, kinakailangan pa po namin tumawid via North Cotabato. So it takes us six hours to reach Cotabato City, not unless maayos natin ang Labu-Labu bridge para maibalik natin sa normal, na in which na marating natin ang Cotabato City ng one and a half hour lamang po, sir.
Then the — then ‘yung Sarakan bridge that is in Matanog, ganoon din po ang ginawa. It’s a temporary po, so hindi po kayang daanan ng mga heavy equipment or ng mga heavy truckloads dahil nga po hindi pa ganoon katibay ‘yung — hindi pa po ganoon katibay compare sa dati po ‘yung ating mga tulay.
Can we focus ‘no? So by the way, I’ll proceed. We have the damaged livestock and poultry because we activated the RDANA right away. But this is estimated number of livestock and poultry. This is the partial consolidated data from Datu Odin Sinsuat, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, North Upi, and Talitay.
So we have a cost damaged of livestock of 2,364,350,000. So as to crop damage, so naka-indicate na po diyan ‘yung possible number of hectares of corn, number of hectares of palay, number of hectares of bananas, but to be determined pa rin po ng ating RDANA up to what extent po ang cost ng bawat crop na nasira doon sa ating area.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pero magandang indicator ito, kasi sa mapa makikita mo na kung ilang hektarya eh ang tinamaan, which already give us a good idea on what — kung hindi pa — habang hindi pa nakakarating ‘yung inspector doon para makita talaga on the ground. This is a good way to measure initially by hectares, by area.
So magagamit natin ‘yan because usually may — you can put a value per hectare eh. So that’s something that we should note, that we should use. Pang-immediate reporting ng agricultural damage.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: So thank you very much, sir. Then our power status ‘no, because Province of Maguindanao composed — we have three cooperatives, like COLIGHT, MAGELCO, SUKELCO, and COTELCO. But majority of the Province of Maguindanao are in cooperative of MAGELCO.
So as of now the cost damage of MAGELCO, since our General Manager is here with us, Suraina Ulama. So cost damage of MAGELCO, we have 30 million pesos. So ang damage natin, ‘yung distribution line, ‘yung atin mga meterings, nasira ‘yung ating metering and some transformer that we need to rehab or we need to replace some transformer.
The backbone lines, the backbone lines of the province of the MAGELCO. And by the way sir, I am appealing to you that since province of Maguindanao, mayroon po utang ang province ng Maguindanao sa PSALM as well as NEA. So I talked to PSALM, NEA, as well as NGCP because during my previous time, during the past administration of General Maongco nagkaroon kami ng utang ng three billion pesos in which masyadong lumaki. Dahil first term ko, nasa 800 million lang ‘yung utang. Then noong matapos po ‘yung term ko, umabot kami ng three billion plus na utang.
Dati-rati, nagmula po ito sa province ng Lanao Sur ‘no, LASURECO nabago iniwan ito ng dating general manager Maongco, naiwan po doon ng 11 million. But the province of Maguindanao, what we did is we appeal to NEA, we appeal to PSALM, we appeal to NGCP because supposed to be last year of — somewhere in August, somewhere in June eh dapat may notice na kami ng permanent disconnection of electricity. But what I did is I talked to those agency that the province will guarantee on the payment.
Of course, I have to talk with all the mayors, with all the barangay captains to cooperate in collection. Because nagkaproblema kami doon sa system sa loob mismo ng MAGELCO, dahil nga po ‘yung MAGELCO ang binibigay sa atin mga consumers is just a trust receipt ‘no, it’s not a receipt coming from the cooperative, but a trust receipt that you can buy that at the National Book Store.
So ‘yun po ang ginagawa nilang pangongolekta sa mga consumers namin. So right now, I am very much happy that bago na po ‘yung general manager natin. So sa abot ng aming makakaya, pinipilit natin ma-reach ‘yung quota natin na every month na makabayad tayo sa PSALM at the same time sa NGCP.
But for this time sir, I am appealing to you na sana mapakiusapan natin na hindi siguro namin maabot ‘yung aming quota because I only have one year, one year na maapela sa kanila na kung hindi kami makabayad total disconnection na po ang buong lalawigan ng Maguindanao.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So anong naging usapan ninyo ng NEA, ng NGCP, ng PSALM na magkano ang babayaran ninyo?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Nagkaroon kami ng MOA sir na a certain percentage — at least half, half of the collection, power rate ay aming makolekta sa aming mga consumers and then they agree. Nag-agree sila within one year na magkaroon man lang ng…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: One year?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yeah. Yes sir, ‘yun po ‘yung agreement namin na within one year. So my one year will end on — will end August of next year. So if there will be no improvement into the collection, doon po kami magkakaproblema dahil kasama po doon sa MOA na napirmahan ko, ng province, eh talagang puputulin na po ‘yung aming kuryente. So this was all through the initiative of the province.
Actually, nag-guarantee na po ang province ng 20 million pesos para hindi kami maputulan noong nakaraang June 30, nitong taon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So ang nangutang is the cooperative?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Ay yes, sir. It is the coo —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So ang may utang is the cooperative?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes, sir, dahil ang collectable ‘yung cooperative but ang problema natin hindi nagbabayad ‘yung consumer dahil ang pinapakita nga pong resibo is ‘yung trust receipt that you can buy that in the National Bookstore.
So the general manager before is also the treasurer, is also the auditor, at the same time the collector. Doon kami nagkaproblema dahil kahit na ako sa probinsiya ng Maguindanao, even the brigade before you are wondering bakit trust receipt ang pangongolekta ng ating mga line man or ng mga collectors coming from that certain cooperative.
But we appeal na baguhin lahat ang sistema kaya po sir I am appealing to you na sana pakiusapan natin na pagbigyan muli na i-extend ulit dahil nabawasan ulit ako ng isang buwan na hindi kami makakabayad ngayong buwan na ito.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I think we can do better sa payment schedule, repayment schedule. Balikan natin. Sige pag-usapan natin ‘yan.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Thank you very much, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I think we can help you with that.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes, sir. So right now, we have a normal operation of our light in Barira, Buldon. But ongoing restoration in Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin, Datu Piang.
And then we have established the evacuation centers. Nakalagay po diyan ‘yung mga pangalan ng mga munisipyo, number of evacuation, kung saang barangay po ito, at ilan po ang kapasidad ng bawat evacuation centers, sir.
So I will not mention it individually dahil masyado na itong mahaba. But what we need in our evacuation center not only food packs, not only the non-food packs but we also need medicines.
Dahil tag-ulan ngayon, nagkakaroon na po ng lagnat, ng ubo ‘yung ating mga kabataan na nandoon po sa evacuation center.
So that’s the reason why I am appealing to our DOH na sana pagbigyan since the province of Maguindanao we have the medical mobile team na kung saan po ‘yung evacuation center natin sinusundan kaagad ito ng ating mobile team. The mobile team was created by the province of Maguindanao.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Actually hindi nga dapat DSWD ‘to, but DSWD should provide.
Kasi nag-attempt kami — ‘yung mga ibang calamity, after a few days, ang hinihingi ‘yung gamot at saka ‘yung mga maintenance. ‘Yung mga maintenance na gamot na sabi namin bibili kami nang marami pamimigay. Hindi mo puwedeng gawin ‘yun, you need to be a doctor. Kaya hindi namin puwedeng gawin ‘yun through DSWD.
So I think that should — we should… At least kumuha tayo ng doktor na local tanong natin kung ano ‘yung needs nila then humingi tayo sa DOH ng somebody who can dispense the medicine.
Kasi hindi tayo — mga civilian tayo, hindi tayo doktor. Hindi tayo puwede mag… You need a receipt. We will be practicing without a license.
DSWD SECRETARY ERWIN TULFO: It’s under DOH eh, gusto ko sana nga ilipat sa DSWD para isang bagsakan na lang.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I tried to do that pero hindi pala puwede. Kasi kung gamot, kailangan doktor ang mag-prescribe, kailangan sila ang mag-dispense or a pharmacy. Hindi puwede ‘yung hindi qualified. So you will just have to involve them.
So ang tingin ko, so instead of bringing them all to the DOH. The DOH again — kasi dadami na naman ‘yung ano at saka it will slow down the process.
Siguro part of the relief is maghanap tayo ng — ‘yung kanilang ano, ‘yung provincial office — the health officer, ‘yung municipal health officer. Itanong natin, ano ba ‘yung kailangan talaga dito? Umikot ka, alamin mo, para makuha natin.
Then we will contact DOH, magpadala sila ng gamot or magpadala sila ng doktor or kumuha sila ng doktor doon. Or like here, maybe they can get a doctor from Davao, for example, and then may dala-dalang mga gamot, something like that.
Pero that is always a problem eh. ‘Yung mga ordinary lang naman, paracetamol, Imodium para sa sirang tiyan. Pero ‘yung mga matatanda, ‘yung mga maintenance, delikado talaga sila pagka mga one week na silang hindi naggagamot, it starts to really affect them.
So let’s put together an SOP for that para may kasama na tayong gamot. Mayroon na tayong health kit pero ‘yung gamot talaga ang…
After a few days, that becomes ano eh — it becomes an issue.
SEC. TULFO: Yes, sir. I’ve been talking with my Disaster Management Undersecretary Bautista and we are going to sit down and probably change that policy para ma-include na po doon sa relief ‘yung mga paracetamol, tama po kayo, mga pang-diarrhea, fever…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Or maybe the local — PDRRMD… You will be the one who can make that determination. ‘Di ba kasama na ‘yan. Pero gamitin ninyo ‘yung mga local.
Kilala nila ‘yung pasyente, kilala nila ‘yung community ‘di ba?
DND ACTING SECRETARY USEC. JOSE FAUSTINO JR.: Yes sir. We’re doing that, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: The PDRRMD can do it or the municipal. Depende like now ‘yung coverage hindi naman ‘yung buong ano, it’s just this — localized naman doon sa mga areas na ‘yan.
And then generally, it’s going to be the ones who are in the evacuation center. But also we will have to supply kasi naghahanap ‘yung tao ng gamot.
That’s one aspect of it na hindi natin masyadong naatensyunan eh. Paano tayo makapag-provide ng gamot? ‘Yun like the Governor Bai Mariam is saying, simple lang naman eh kasi nakabilad sila o nandoon sila sa ano — basa sila nang matagal, nilalagnat ‘yung mga bata. That’s doesn’t… It’s just ordinary medicines and then also the maintenance medicines of the — ‘yung mga may karamdaman.
All right. Thank you, Gov. Bai Mariam.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yeah. By the way, sir, I just want to inform you that in the province of Maguindanao, we have three doctors, we have one pharmacist, we have three dentists.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oh iyon pala eh.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: So we have mobile hospital just like the Sultan Kudarat, we have two mobile bus, we have one dental bus that are roaming around in the province of Maguindanao.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Of the 622,480 persons —
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Hindi kakayanin, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: — lahat ‘yan ay napunta sa evacuation center?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Lahat itong 622?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Itong 622 sir as of yesterday, these are the number of persons na nasa iba’t ibang mga evacuation centers. So na-breakdown na po natin ‘yan.
Like in Upi, they have 43,095 individuals na nandoon po sa Upi evacuation center. And then the number of evacuation centers, sir, nakalagay din po. Hindi po lahat nandoon kung hindi hati-hati ang evacuation center.
So nasa next page po naka-breakdown po natin ‘yun ilang evacuation center per municipality at ilan ang laman ng per evacuation center.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Mayroon na bang naka — I’m sure mayroon na diyan nakauwi. How many of the 622,000 ang nakauwi na?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: As of now, sir, hindi pa po namin masyado naano ito dahil kahapon lang po namin ng 6 — as of October 31 yesterday. So hopefully baka ‘yung iba umuwi na because today is November 1.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Sec. Erwin, do you have figures for that? I’m sure you have figures kung sino pa ang nasa evacuation centers.
SEC. TULFO: Yes, sir. My regional director is also here. My disaster management team would know, Mr. President, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Anong latest number ninyo na nasa evacuation center pa?
DSWD OFFICIAL: [inaudible] Good morning, Mr. President. We are here because we wanted to ask instruction from our Secretary to help to establish of course the command center last October 26 prior to the coming of the flood. And in 27, we have already mobilized our people who are in charge of the mobilization with my left in decommissioning of combatants and the people were used to of course monitor the situation. And on October 27, we initiate already the moving of — prepositioned of goods in anticipation of the flooding.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: My question is how many people are left still in evacuation centers?
DSWD OFFICIAL: Same with Maguindanao, sir, because we are independent with Maguindanao, 600,000, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How many?
DSWD OFFICIAL: 600,000
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyong 622,000 na ‘yun hindi pa nabawasan ‘yan?
DSWD OFFICIAL: Nabawasan na sir ‘no because some of those are household based na po sila. But as do we mean sir we serve of course Maguindanao only. We cannot speak of the total of BARMM, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay, all right.
SEC. TULFO: What he is saying sir we are dependent on the report of Maguindanao LGU. We are dependent because there are areas that we can’t penetrate and so we are relying on the report of the provincial government, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay, so you are supporting those 622,000 displaced individuals?
SEC. TULFO: I believe so, Mr. President, because that’s what Governor Mangudadatu is saying.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right, okay. Thank you, Gov.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: By the way, sir, we have the PDRRM, we have the MDRRM, in which kung saan po kumukuha ng impormasyon ang ating PDRRM.
So kino-consolidate po natin lahat ng report nila going to our Operations Center. So iyan po ang structure ng ating pagkukuha ng detalye.
Then, let’s proceed. As to the relief distribution, we serve 14,600 families. The province of Maguindanao with a five percent calamity fund, we only have 170 million in the whole year round.
So the province of Maguindanao already declared a state of calamity last August 24. Because before the coming of Paeng, nagkaroon na po kami ng flooding area, nagkaroon ng kami ng flood ‘no in the area of Maguindanao del Sur. So this is kumbaga nasa fourth quarter na po tayo, ang naiwan po natin sa calamity fund ‘yun po ang ginagamit natin. And I’m very happy that kahit papaano we can still serve ‘no ‘yung ating kababayan sa mga food packs natin.
But as to other matters like ‘yung ibang gamot, like ‘yung ibang needed by — kung tatagal sila sa evacuation center, maaaring ma-deplete ‘yung ating calamity fund since we still have two months ‘no for our last quarter and that is the five percent calamity fund. And we only have 170 million in the whole year round of…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So nagpo-provide ang DSWD ng food packs ng relief goods?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Tapos the LGU also provides relief goods?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yeah, we have the incident…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Gumagawa… You buy your own supplies also pandagdag?
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yeah, we buy our own supply. The province have our own supply. Bawat munisipyo po naglalagay kami 150 sacks of rice with 30 cans of noodles, 30 cans of sardines, and then hygiene kit. So we cater first the Maguindanao del Sur. So ‘yan po ‘yun…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyong BARMM nagpo-provide din ng food packs? Saan niyo dini-distribute?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Combination ho ‘yung distribution natin, Mr. President. One is directly handed to the local government units if they provide us the details of the displacement. That’s the first assistance.
If we have not been provided, we ask our people to go to the ground and we do the direct distribution, Mr. President. Third is very specific on evacuation centers.
On the number of individuals in the evacuation center, as of 6 p.m. October 31, there are just 22,115. If you would notice the bulk of the evacuation actually happened in Cotabato City. But they quickly returned to their homes in the evening of 28 kasi bumaba na po, nag-subside ‘yung flooding.
I was in Kabuntalan yesterday, mataas ho ‘yung tubig nasa mga bahay but the people refused to go to the evacuation centers. So kaunti lang in reality ‘yung nag-move, sir, except ‘yung talagang tinamaan, nasira ‘yung bahay. Iyon ang nasa evacuation centers natin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So Sec. Erwin, what is the division of labor sa pag-provide ng relief goods between the LGU, between BARMM, and DSWD? I assume that you are working jointly para ma-maximize ‘yung ating pagbigay.
SEC. TULFO: I just talked to my regional diretor, sir, coming from Region XII, they are the ones servicing BARMM and Maguindanao. We were only allowed to manage 28 evacuation centers per BARMM’s instruction.
Of that 28 evacuation centers, only four na lang are open, sir. So that figure of 600,000 is very, very far from our figures with DSWD.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So are there still evacuation center in operation that you are not —
SEC. TULFO: Four, four na lang, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pero hindi niyo — you are not servicing that?
SEC. TULFO: No, we are serving four na lang po today.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Were there any left that are operating?
SEC. TULFO: They left po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Bakit hindi nakapasok ang DSWD?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Mayroong Ministry of Social Services and Development which is devolved to the — so ang ginawa ho nila sir naghati sila ng DSWD-12. Kasi ho ‘yung DSWD-12 wala silang field personnel in the region, sir. So hinihiram lang ho ‘yun sa Region XII ‘yung pinapapasok.
Kaya ho naghati para ‘yung manageable lang na evacuation centers ng DSWD-12 ang —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Paano kami sa national government tutulong sa inyo kung hindi kami makapasok?
INTERIOR MINISTER SINARIMBO: Pumapasok naman ho sir pero naga-agree lang ho para clear lang ho kung saan ‘yung operation nung bawat isa, sir. Nagko-coordinate ho talaga, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yeah, by the way sir, I’d like to thank our DSWD Region XII through the initiative of our Secretary Erwin Tulfo by giving us 10,000 food packs and that was divided into five municipalities: Matanog, Buldon, Barira, and Parang. And the 4,138 packs coming from 911 Davao through the initiative of Mayor Duterte, iyon po ang ibinigay namin sa 2,000 packs sa DOS; 1,000 sa North Upi; 1,000 sa DBS. And coming from Senator Bong Go, we received 600 packs. So we divided that into two municipalities like in Ampatuan and in Datu Abdullah Sangki municipality.
Then the rest sa southern part of Maguindanao, we used the five percent calamity fund to cater the rest of the municipality. So ito na po ‘yun, sir.
So iyang nasa picture na ‘yan po ‘yung effort ng Maguindanao province para magkaroon ng food packs and then we have the MOA. The province has a MOA from a big mall in the province of South Cotabato and that is commercial so doon na po kami nagpi-pick up ng bags of bigas going directly to the municipalities affected by flood.
So ang medyo hirap lang sa amin sa pagbibigay ng food distribution is that from the municipality of Ampatuan going to different parts like in Shariff Aguak, Talayan, Guindulungan, para mapabilis we need to transfer from one truck to another truck. Say for instance, ‘yung isang truck bababa muna ng Ampatuan, sa boundary ng Ampatuan and Shariff Aguak, and then binubuhat na paisa-isa ‘yung ating mga relief packs papunta naman sa isang truck.
So the good practices that we have in the province of Maguindanao is that I always — the PDRRM is always coordinate with the NDRMM. I always coordinate and talk to the mayor just like our beloved DILG advised me to do. So maraming, maraming sir I applied that na from time to time I talk to them to know what is happening really in the ground.
And of course sir I’m also appealing to you to please help us activate the NIA, the national irrigation. Dahil unang-una is masyadong — nandito po ‘yung ating mga mayor, they can also testify na talagang ‘yung ating mga canals is matagal na pong hindi nalilinis.
Better na may actual natin sila because if they do that in reporting, very perfect po ang reporting nila. It is the opposite of what we see in the field.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: So sir, we have seven more unpassable bridges in the province of Maguindanao and houses damaged in Datu Odin Sinsuat I believe it is 80 houses with light materials. While in South Upi, we have 28 na talagang nawala dahil nasa coastal area siya ng river.
The mayor is also here with us, the mayor of South Upi, Mayor Insular. Nandito po siya to verify ‘yung mga houses na nawala. Dahil hindi lang po ‘yung tatlong bayan, maging po ‘yung mga karatig-bayan nito tinamaan po.
So maraming, maraming salamat and that’s all for today, shukran alaihi wasallam.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you, Gov, for that report. Mukha namang you have been able to provide a quick response at saka maraming tulong na naibigay. Thank you.
Sec. Manny, ‘yung mga tulay. Ang daming nasirang tulay na major artery.
SEC. BONOAN: Yes, Mr. President. I just instructed our regional director to team up with the project management to at least for the time being temporarily restore mobility doon sa mga damaged bridges while we are trying to reconstruct whatever we can. But in three days’ time, Mr. President —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: It’s really time for you to organize a district officer already. You look into it na magkaroon na ng district office para ‘yung BARMM hindi na kung saan-saan pa pupunta.
That they have a district office in BARMM, that they can go to immediately para sa mga emergency na ganito.
SEC. BONOAN: Yes, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right, thank you.
SEC. TULFO: If I may add, Mr. President. If I can request from the commander of the 6th ID, ‘yung mga food packs natin sir dito na lang ilagay sa Camp Siongco para madali pong i-draw ng provincial government or ng BARMM. So dito na lang…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So dito na natin ibabagsak.
SEC. TULFO: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Magdo-draw down na lang. Ang BARMM mag-draw down ng LGU.
SEC. TULFO: Yes, sir, dito na lang po sila magdo-draw ng food packs. We have currently here in Camp Siongco, we have 10,000 food packs, sir. And we have a standby fund of 15 million for AICS, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay. I think that’s a good idea kasi the camp is well secured. Hindi tayo magkakaproblema and logistically, kayang-kaya nilang i-disburse ‘yan. Ah pati transport? Yes, iyon pala. Take advantage, iyan ang trabaho ng ating NDRRMC.
Okay, thank you.
SULTAN KUDARAT GOVERNOR DATU PAX ALI MANGUDADATU: Magandang hapon sa ating lahat. Maraming, maraming salamat po, Mr. President, for joining us here and showing the support, trust, and commitment for the province of Sultan Kudarat.
Run through lang po ito, mabilis lang po ito. For the whole province of Sultan Kudarat, we have recorded 32,000 families ang na-evacuate at talagang na-affect. Ang nangyari po kasi dito ‘yung inaasahan nating baha dito sa lowland ng probinsiya ng Sultan Kudarat ay hindi po nangyari.
Nagulat ang lahat na ang pagbabaha ay nangyari dito sa itaas at sa coastal areas namin namely the municipalities of Lebak, Kalamansig, and Palimbang.
Usually nagkakabaha diyan pero mabilis mag-submerge, Mr. President. Pero with this what we saw last time ay talagang nahirap po ang ating mga kababayan resulting to again 32,000 families being affected across these three areas, three municipalties with two death. Iyong namatay po na dalawa, Mr. President, ay nalunod po sa daan. Mga senior citizen po ito. They were trying to cross the river na madalas nilang kino-cross. Mga kapatid po nating IP. Hindi po nila inaasahan na malakas masyado ‘yung tubig at itong dalawa namatay.
Wala po tayong casualty from any landslide. Despite of the fact na napakalaki po ng landslide na nangyari sa Senator Ninoy Aquino municipality sa lalawigan ng Sultan Kudarat.
Ang challenge po na nakita po namin dito, Mr. President, ay although the local government units of Sultan Kudarat were already foretold and prepared to expect na may ulan, ang nasabi sa amin the day before was light to moderate rainfall. Okay.
Then nung umulan na noong October 27, saka pa nagkaroon ng heavy rainfall at noong 28, noong nag-uulan at nagbabagyo saka pa talagang tumaas ‘yung alert level from PAGASA. So iyan ‘yung naging concern namin sir ay noong sinabi sa amin na buntot ‘yung tatama sa Sultan Kudarat ay parang latigo pala na talagang tinamaan ang tatlong bayan na nasa coastal areas pa.
Another challenge po na nakita ng provincial government sir ay noong nangyari po ang landslide at ang pagbabaha, lahat po ng national highway going to these three municipalities ay nasarado. Halimbawa po ‘yung access road po natin from Senator Ninoy Aquino going to Kalamansig and Lebak dahil po sa landslide na napakalaki, it took DPWH and our provincial engineering team two and a half days bago po na-clear ‘yung daan.
Pangalawa sir the other road po na mas mabilis ay via Datu Odin Sinsuat paakyat po ng South Upi, North Upi papuntang Lebak. Ang naging concern naman po doon sir is number one, nasira po ‘yung bridge sa may Labu-Labu sa may Shariff Aguak municipality. So hindi po makakadaan ‘yung ating mga trucks coming from our provincial government as well as other national agencies.
So for that two or three days sir ay we heavily relied on aerial assets. That’s why nagpasalamat po talaga kami ng malaki — malaki ang aming pasasalamat sa DSWD at sa 6th ID for providing us the helicopters na nakapagdala tayo ng iba’t ibang relief goods sa ating mga kababayan.
Ang advantage lang po sir is that we an extension capitol in the municipality of Lebak. Nakapaghanda po doon ng 8,000 packs before the typhoon. So habang hinahantay po ‘yung nagmumula dito sa baba ay nakapag-distribute na po nang maayos doon.
So those two concerns talaga ang naging primary problem na hinaharap ng provincial government ng Sultan Kudarat resulting to all of this. Currently, may mga bridges din po tayo na nasira both found sa looban at sa national highway, which was a challenge for everyone as well.
We will provide the DPWH a copy of all of this as well. At ang isa pa pala, Mr. President, we have 122 na houses na na-validate na talagang nawala at totally nasira. So ‘yung 122 wala na po. Then we have another 50 houses na partially damaged.
So ang concern ko po, Mr. President, ma-break lang naman sa ilang departments for the national government to partner with the province of Sultan Kudarat. Iyong isa po sir ‘yung nabanggit ko pong 122 houses. These are talagang houses that holds and houses big families. Malalaki po ang pamilya natin doon sa mga IP communities sa Lebak and Kalamansig.
So we’ve got a family na 15 in number na talagang wala na silang matitirhan. So one of the priority programs po of the province of Sultan Kudarat is for us to somehow provide some housing o temporary shelfer facility for all of these families na nawalan ng bahay. Pangalawa po sir…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Saan mo sila ilalagay?
SULTAN KUDARAT GOV. MANGUDADATU: Currently ngayon po sir nasa evacuation center sila ng Lebak. Currently, wala po silang natitirhan. As much as they wanted to and they tried yesterday na babalik noong nag-advise po tayo sa kanila to check their houses, sabi nila wala daw silang mababalikan.
Magkakamag-anak po ito, sir, magkakapit-bahay so lahat po ng bahay nun nawala na po. So those are the challenges of our IP communities there.
Pangalawa sir regarding the agriculture, these three municipalities, Palimbang, Lebak and Kalamansig, these are the coffee-producing municipalities of Sultan Kudarat. And the province of Sultan Kudarat is known to be the coffee capital of our country.
Ang problema po sir out of the 20,000 hectares of coffee farms, ang balita as of now is 10,000 po ‘yung heavily damaged. So ‘yung hanapbuhay din po ng ating mga kababayan doon ay talagang affected.
Maliban lang po sa mga banana plantation at pineapple plantation located in the lowland, may mga damaged din po but not as bad as we see in these three municipalities that we’ve mentioned.
The next sir is that ‘yung sa DSWD po nagpapasalamat po kami sir dahil sila po talaga ang unang nakarating sa ating mga areas of concern at ‘yung mga naantala ng baha at ng landslide.
The next sir is ‘yung hihingi po sana kami ng assistance with the Department of Health kasi tumawag din po kami sa PDRRM na pina-stay ko po sa bayan ng Lebak. As far as they have observed, ay halos kalahati po ng ating population na nasa evacuation center may sipon, lagnat, at ubo.
So all of these are kumbaga karamihan po ng ating mga evacuees hindi lamang po nawalan ng bahay o naantala, nagkakasakit na rin po sa oras na ito. This is why we in the provincial government are going to launch an intensified extended medical services program. Iyong mga doctors po natin mula sa provincial hospital ay ipapadala po natin sa Lebak and Kalamansig.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi ba tayong puwedeng magpadala iyong ating mga doktor na para immediate pumunta muna sa evacuation center para ma-determine?
SULTAN KUDARAT GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes, sir, we can do that.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Kasi ang tropa natin nandito na eh. So we don’t have to wait for them to come from somewhere else. Maybe the military can use our — kasama ang mga medical corps natin to mag-ano sila — lalo na ‘yung mga bata na inuubo, they can examine and we can provide some medicine.
Sec. Erwin, siguro puwede nating unahan. Huwag na nating hintayin ‘yung mga prescribed medicine. Magdala na tayo ng mga ‘yung mga simple lang — ‘yung mga para sa sipon, ‘yung para sa ubo, para sa sirang tiyan. You know all the common ailments that can be cured by non-prescription medicines. So isama na natin ‘yun.
Then we work in coordination with the military doctors and medical workers para mabilis. It keeps coming up. Hindi pa natin nasagot ‘yung challenge na ‘yun eh. I’ve been hearing this since I was governor ‘yung gamot na nakakalimutan natin makapag-provide.
SEC. TULFO: We can start with the — we have hygiene kit for family. We will start putting up a health kit, Mr. President, like paracetamol, cough syrup or cough tablets pambata, mga Tempra.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyong mga ganoon, oo. You can already make arrangements, I can help with that. We can make arrangements with the big drug companies para ‘yung bilin natin in bulk makamura tayo and then we can use it ano.
But we can still have to come up with an SOP for the prescribed medicines. Baka we can use the military doctors again.
USEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir. I already gave instructions to General Galido sir. We will be doing this immediately including ‘yung mga medical retainers ng AFP dito sa area niya plus of course our military doctors. And we’ll fly them over sir mas mabilis para mapuntahan kaagad ‘yung —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi naman siguro ‘yung immediate response team. Pero ‘pag nag-evacuate na, doon sa evacuation center para they can examine them. Mag-medical mission sila doon nang kaunti and then may dala sila like I said ‘yung mga pangkaraniwan lang na gamot na hindi kailangan na ang doktor ang mag-prescribe.
USEC. FAUSTINO: That’s correct sir. In fact, immediately after the briefing yesterday by Governor Mariam Mangudadatu, we already contacted the DOH and we followed it up sir, the DOH national to support and mayroon na sir. I think there were teams already that went… I received a feedback just now mayroon na, ma’am, nag-ikot and there will be more coming.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I’ve noticed wala tayong SOP talaga sa pag-provide ng gamot sa mga disaster response natin. We should add that. Madali ang naman gawin eh.
USEC. FAUSTINO: Yes, sir. Noted, sir.
SULTAN KUDARAT GOV. MANGUDADATU: If I may ano, Mr. President, iyong dito po sa houses po ng ating mga Ips, we have already identified certain areas which is currently owned by the provincial government na puwede nilang paglilipatan.
So iyong housing facility o housing project pinag-iisipan namin na doon na lang sila ilalagay, malapit din po sa coffee farms ng ating mga indigenous people.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: What do we do with them? Maghahanap tayo ng relocation?
SULTAN KUDARAT GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes, sir, kasi what’s difficult here is that itong areas na ito sir hindi naman talaga flood-prone area. Pero dahil po sa continuous na ulan ay naging malambot po ‘yung ating mga lupa.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ganoon ang nangyayari sa mga — na-notice ko even sa mga local government pare-pareho. Even ako na-experience ko ito eh. Iyong dating nababaha pagka sasabihin may bagyo, o di alam na namin kung saan ilalagay ‘yung backhoe, alam na namin kung saan dadalhin ‘yung rescue na bangka, lahat. Pero in the recent years, iyong dating dinadaanan ng baha, hindi na doon. Iba na ang dinadaanan eh. That’s the problem. Talagang may climate change talaga, it’s undeniable. So that’s the problem doon sa preparation natin.
If you remember Odette, Odette we were preparing tatamaan na naman ang Region VIII eh. Eh kumabig dito pumunta, went to Surigao. Talagang iba hindi na kagaya ng dati. So kailangan talaga nating bantayan nang mabuti. I think PAGASA naman is giving us a good…
And the other feature that you mentioned, ang na-notice namin ‘yung bagyo sasabihin — pagka one or two days bago tumama sa Pilipinas, Signal 1, medyo magsi-Signal 2. ‘Pag malapit na, ang bilis lumakas. Within three, four hours ‘yung Odette naging Signal 2, naging Signal 4, within a few hours. Ganoon kabilis ‘yung paglakas nung ano.
Kaya’t we have to be very — kailangan bantayan natin ulit. Kaya ‘yung prepositioning, ‘yung prepositioning ng relief goods, ‘yung prepositioning ng lahat ng asset natin pati ‘yung mga vehicles, lahat ‘yan kailangan bantayan natin nang mabuti.
And that’s why also the — ‘yung preemptive evacuation is very, very important. Mukha namang nagawa ninyo eh. Pero — kaya nga hindi ine-expect doon eh, na doon babagsak — doon mag… You never had that before. You never had that problem before. Ngayon lang — ngayon ko lang narinig na may nangyaring ganyan.
So it’s really — we have to just adjust. Okay, please go ahead.
SULTAN KUDARAT GOV. MANGUDADATU: Yes, sir. Ito po ‘yung mga pictures natin, sir. All of these are national highway. So hindi po talaga madadaanan ‘yung mga national highways natin ngayon dahil not only are the bridges damaged. Mismo ang lupa, ang sabi nga ng mga tao doon, parang kinain na ng bundok ‘yung highway na ‘yan natin. Eh although previously madalas po nagla-landslide diyan that’s why mayroon naka-standby engineering team from the provincial government.
It’s not as bad as what we have now. Balitaan ko rin po kayo Mr. President that the — out of the 32,000 families na affected and evacuated, 8,000 persons na lang po ang naiiwan sa ating evacuation centers. Nakauwi na po ang karamihan. At isang challenge din po namin sir, that’s why I took it as an opportunity na rin for me to have — to suspend the classes until next week sa tatlong bayan na ito.
Dahil not only are the schools damaged and flooded, dahil po sa pag-evacuation po, ‘yung mga upuan at gamit doon ginamit na rin. So we have schools na nakapag-report na halos lahat ng kanilang upuan ay may gamit muna o nakuha ng ating mga kababayan in other areas or barangays or…
Kasi ang nangyari dito sir, some of the elementary schools, ‘yung malapit sa mga kababayan natin, doon sila tumago noong malakas ang ulan. Then after a while, when we tried to arrange them is kasama na rin po ‘yung gamit ng eskwelahan ang na-arrange.
So this is also another concern that we will be working together with the Department of Education para by the end of three, four, five days ay makakabalik na po nang maayos ang ating mga estudyante.
So far, ‘yun lang naman po ang nakita kong areas of concern that I would like to raise in this meeting sir. Nandito na rin po ‘yung status of damaged bridges, may mga passable na po. But mayroon din bridges such as that ‘yung nasa picture kanina, [pabalik natin], which is located in Palimbang na talagang wala na rin po.
So these are old bridges na sir that has been existing for 40 years. Matagal-tagal na po. Mga matagal na po itong mga bridge. Ito ‘yung sa looban na project pa before ng — your father, Mr. President. ‘Yung mga bridges — nagkaroon ng ano multiple bridges approach sa lalawigan ng — back then Moro province.
So ‘yun lang po, Mr. President. That’s only the — that’s the report of the Province of Sultan Kudarat. Maraming salamat po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you very much, Datu Pax, for that briefing.
Again, mukha namang — kasi Sultan Kudarat medyo mas sanay sa baha kaysa sa Maguindanao.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Pahabol lang ako sir, kasi Maguindanao is a catch basin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: ‘Yun na nga eh.
MAGUINDANAO GOV. MANGUDADATU: Oo, so I’m appealing to our honor Secretary — honorable Secretary of DPWH na sana madaliin natin ‘yung flood control ng South Cotabato — South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat. Dahil ‘pag nauna natin ‘yun, hindi kami masyado bahain dito. Dahil ‘pag umulan ang South Cotabato or North Cotabato and even Sultan Kudarat, nadadamay kami kahit wala kaming ulan.
So from time to time, nasasayang ‘yung ating calamity fund dahil lang sa ulan. Instead na sa infra tayo mag-focus, puro calamity, puro food packs ang naaayos natin. So thank you, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, the — ‘yung ating… But we also have to ano. Kasi ang ano din sa ibang lugar na nabaha is that we have to study it really well. Kasi kung maglalagay tayo, kung minsan ang nilalagay 200 meters lang muna this year.
So pag ‘yung — ‘yung maglagay ka ayusin mo ‘yung flood control dito, sisirain naman niya dito sa baba, so ilalagay mo — sisirain naman niya dito din sa baba. So we have to study really the river.
Pero for now, ‘yun na muna. That’s all we can do. The problem also that I saw, marupok ‘yung ating flood control na mga dike. ‘Yung iba substandard. ‘Yung nakita ko sa ibang lugar, substandard talaga eh. Isang — one layer of hollow block lang ata ang nilagay doon so hindi talaga uubra. So that’s the…
Kung gagawin — ‘pag aayusin natin, make sure that it’s up to standard. But we will not be able to do much until the rainy season is over. Okay. ‘Yun ang problema. ‘Yung mga long-term na remedies, ang tinanong ko ang PAGASA, they are anticipating may apat pa na bagyo until the end of the year.
So we have to deal with that already. Paghandaan na natin. Let us already do that.
I noticed na ang BARMM at saka ‘yung LGU wala kayong joint operation. You have to have joint operation to maximize all of your assets dahil there are only — there is only so much kaya kailangan naka-focus.
Now the areas, the different areas are siyempre mayroong lugar mas maraming tao ang BARMM. Mayroon lugar mas maraming tao ang LGU. So i-join ninyo ang forces ninyo para ma-maximize natin. Kailangan gandahan natin ‘yung coordination.
The other thing that I noticed is that ‘yung sa — we will have to improve the SOP. I will tell you a story about what I experienced in Yolanda. In Yolanda, I remember ‘yung pinsan ko is the mayor. Alfred Romualdez is the mayor of Yolanda. May kwento siya na ‘yung staff niya, humingi ng relief pack sa DSWD noon. Hinanahapan siya ng — I don’t know what — ng barangay clearance or something. Hindi siya binigyan kasi hindi siya tiga-Tacloban. She lived just outside Tacloban. All they give her was one bottle of water.
Now, tapos another time. Dumadaan ako may nakita ako nakapila. May nagbibigay ng relief goods. Sabi ko, “anong ginagawa ninyo?” sabi ko. “Nakapila, may hawak kaming ticket.” “Bakit kayo may ticket?”
“Kasi ‘yung binibigay ng barangay captain, kung wala kaming ticket, hindi namin — hindi kami magbibigay — hindi kami bibigyan ng relief goods.”
Pinuntahan ko ‘yung barangay captain. Sabi ko, “Bakit may ticket?” Sabi niya, “Baka mag-doble.” “Eh ano kung mag-doble? Bigay niyo na ang lahat. Just give everything. Hindi naman… Yayaman ba ‘yung tao na mayroon naka-doble siya na food pack? Hindi yayaman ‘yun siya. Hindi…”
Just means, he will eat — the family will eat for another two days, three days. So huwag na natin masyadong intindihin ‘yung bureaucracy. Basta’t paratingin natin ‘yung relief, alam mo naghihingalo ‘yung tao eh. Life and death na sa kanila ito. So huwag na tayong mag-antay na may ticket. Huwag na tayo mag-antay na… Puntahan na lang natin. Basta ibigay natin. Kung hindi magamit, hindi magamit. Dalhin natin sa ibang lugar.
But we have to — you have — we have to make our SOPs more efficient. The LGUs have a bit of — may advantage sila sa inyo dahil matagal na nilang ginagawa ito kaya’t may mga procedure na, which is actually, as governors, binibigay din sa atin ‘yan ng ano eh — binibigay din sa amin ‘yan ng national government.
So let’s just follow those procedure. Bilisan na lang natin. The point of all these relief goods is to get as much relief goods as — to rescue immediately, as much relief goods as… Huwag na nating intindihin. Hindi niyo… There is no such thing as sobra na relief goods. No such thing.
Kung ano ‘yung mayroon tayo, ibigay natin kaagad, ibigay natin kaagad. At hindi… It doesn’t matter kung may papel. Huwag niyo nang papirmahan. Basta bigay na, bigay na. Walang kakainin ‘yang mga ‘yan.
So I think that is something that we can improve on, the coordination between the LGUs and BARMM, and then ‘yung procedures. I know that you are just drawing up your procedures now. But you can see kung bakit — why this is so important na ma… Kaya ko kayo laging minamadali tungkol diyan because para ‘pag may mga ganito, eh alam natin kaagad ‘yung gagawin, alam ninyo ‘yung coordination ninyo sa LGU.
And one last note, nung nasa helicopter kami ni Bai Mariam, na-notice ko lahat ng gumuho kalbo ang bundok. That’s the problem. Lahat nang gumuho.
And I was pointing out to the Governor, sabi ko sa kanya: Tingnan mo ‘yung may kahoy hindi gumalaw ‘yung lupa, lahat nung sugat na makita mo sa bundok dahil kalbo.
So we have to include tree planting in our flood control. Dapat kasama ‘yan. Kung gagastos tayo sa flood control, kailangan may tree planting.
Maraming NGO ang tutulong sa inyo. Maraming NGO ang tutulong sa inyo. We can — I can help you with that. They will come. We talk to the Secretary of DENR and then…
Ang problema dati magtataninm ang DENR, iiwan. Pagka walang — binagyo ‘yung tanim, puputulin ‘yung kahoy para ipagbibili. Wala silang ani eh.
But the new way to do it, ang may-ari ‘yung mga locals, silang may-ari nung kahoy kaya’t aalagaan nila.
So that’s one thing that we need to do. But that one alam na natin ‘yun, we have been hearing this over and over again, pero patuloy pa rin tayo nagpuputol ng kahoy, ‘yan ang nangyayari nagkaka-landslide ng ganyan.
So that is the long term — that is a long-term solution. In the short term, we really have — we just have to be as efficient as we possibly can na paratingin ang relief goods. It’s not important who gives it. At least, to me. Hindi importante. Sabihin mo galing sa ibang tao, wala, wala akong pakialam. Basta’t dumating ang relief goods doon sa ano — doon sa tao na nangangailangan.
That we have to always keep remembering that, that that is the main point. May pera ang gobyerno, gagamitin ‘yung pera kung anong pera ang mayroon gobyerno na nandito, uubusin natin ‘yan. Kung kailangan ubusin, uubisin natin ‘yan para makapagbigay ng tulong kaagad.
And the military is there, they’re big asset. Malaking asset ang military. Kailangan ng… Kailangan ng — we can — we should maximize. The specialty of the military is to move men and material.
So sanay na sanay. Kaya nga pati lahat ng relief goods makakatulong sila. The doctors, ‘yung pinag-usapan natin, makakatulong ang military.
But overall, I think we did all right, except for those two points — the coordination. Dapat next time marami na tayong nakikitang joint operation between the LGU and BARMM. Otherwise, hindi talaga tayo magiging efficient. We have to find a way to…
Siguro the military can always be — basta the military is involved then — kaya nga ‘yung mga relief goods, puwede natin padala sa kampo, dito sa Awang. And doon na lang kayo mag-draw down, doon na lang kayo kumuha. Mayroon naman kayong sarili ninyo. I’m sure the BARMM is also making their own food packs.
Kaya nga ‘pag pinagsama-sama natin ‘yan lahat it will be sufficient or at least malaking tulong na ‘yan para doon sa ating mga ano.
And yeah, mag-isip tayo nang mabuti doon sa tree planting. Hindi maliit na bagay ‘yan. I know people think that it is just for to save the environment. No, it’s to save lives. It’s to save lives. So it really will save lives.
Kung may kahoy ‘yun sa taas, sa Kusiong, hindi nangyari ‘yan. Hindi talaga nangyari ‘yan. That’s unfortunate but that I — I am very clear in my mind that that is something that we could have done.
Okay. Is there anything else that anybody wants to add? Are we all right? Okay.
Thank you everyone. Thank you everyone. Maraming salamat. Magandang tanghali sa inyo. [applause]
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