PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. MARCOS JR.: ‘Yung ginagawa ng tubig ngayon kasi nayugyog and you have to remember this is a tectonic shift.
So ‘yung sa ilalim niyan gumalaw talaga eh. So gumanyan or… So talagang magbabago ‘yung coastal but I don’t think… I think we can assure our people that walang risk pero walang risk ng tsunami, walang risk ng storm surge.
‘Yun lamang magbantay sila kasi nung nagkalindol ‘yung tubig ay naano — was disturbed by the movement in the land. Usec. Solidum, maybe you want to add something.
USEC. SOLIDUM: Yes po, Mr. President. Ang gumalaw pong fault ay ‘yung Abra River fault. Now ang galaw po niyan may pagkaangat at sideways. So nung gumalaw na ‘yung isla, nadistorbo po ‘yung tubig kaya minsan umaatras, bumabalik. So hindi po ‘yun talagang tsunami but not really life threatening, avoid lang nila, atras lang.
‘Yung mga cracks po sa mga beaches, ‘yan po ‘yung result ng liquefaction, may bumubuka pong lupa. So Mr. President, mayroon po tayong 23 DOST — 23-man DOST team, nasa Vigan and nandito na po sa Abra ka-partner ang PPDRMO. We will evaluate ‘yung landslide po kasi ‘yun po ‘yung pinakamahirap at ‘yung mga cracks na nangyari sa Ilocos para mabigyan ng guidance po ang local government.
SEN. MARCOS: This is coastal ha not river?
USEC. SOLIDUM: Yes, yeah coastal po. May mga malambot po.
SEN. MARCOS: Not Abra River, oo.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, maybe we can explain that as best as possible. The most important thing is that people understand na hindi sila kailangan mag-alala sa tsunami at saka sa storm surge pero mayroon — nagbabago talaga dahil umurong ang lupa eh.
So ‘yung sa pag-urong nu’n, mayroon talagang magiging effects. Bantayan na lang nila. Huwag silang mahulog doon sa malaking crack, huwag silang ano — very familiar naman sila. I think it’s important that ‘yung tsunami and storm surge maging maliwanag huwag kayong mag-alala.
DIR. TANGGOL: Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes please.
DIR. TANGGOL: Sir, since we are in Abra mayroon kaming separate infrastructure damage exclusive for Abra if you would allow us to present.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right, please go ahead.
DIR. TANGGOL: [First slide, please.] So ito ‘yung mga damages dito sa Abra sir. This one is in Abra, Ilocos Sur Road. [next slide]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Umurong talaga oh.
DIR. TANGGOL: So ito sir ‘yung may mga fault line: Abra-Ilocos Sur Road again. [next slide] The same road section Abra-Ilocos Sur Road. [next slide] The same road section sir. [next slide] Abra-Ilocos Sur Road again. [next slide please] [next slide] [next slide]
So ‘yan sir nagkaroon siya ng hump, it’s a straight line. [next slide] So rockfall. [next slide] Ito sir ‘yung sa approach ng bridge. [next slide] This one sir is in Abra-Kalinga Road at Dolores Abra. [next slide] Again sir in Abra-Kalinga Road rockslide. [next slide please] So open na rin siya sir. [next slide] [next] [next slide]
Again sir in Abra-Kalinga Road. [next slide] [next slide] [next slide] The same sir Abra-Kalinga Road. [next slide] So sir kung mapapansin niyo sir puro mga rockslide ‘yung nangyari dito rin — in that part of this province. [next slide please] Abra-Kalinga Road again. [next slide]
Abra-Kalinga Road again. [next slide please]
Iyan naman sir along Abra-Cervantes Road, San Isidro, Lagangilang, Abra. Ito ‘yung sa Baay Bridge, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Malapit pala ito sa — malapit ito sa ano na epicenter.
DIR. TANGGOL: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Lagangilang kasi ‘yun ang area.
DIR. TANGGOL: [next slide] Ito naman sir sa Calao, Bucay, Abra along Abra-Cervantes Road. If you can see the size of the boulder sir na nahulog. [next slide] So again in Abra-Cervantes Road, Sal-lapadan, Abra. [next slide] Bioeng Bridge in San Ramon, Manabo, Abra. [next slide] Ito sir not passable pero may detour naman siya sir. [next slide] The same bridge, Bioeng Bridge. [next slide] [next slide]
This one sir is in Sadeg Bridge in San Ramon, Manabo again. [next slide] Ito naman sir in San Ramon, East Manabo, Abra. [next slide] Soil collapse along Abra-Cervantes Road. Soil collapse ‘yan sir pero may kasama ring boulders. [next slide] The same. [next slide] [next slide] So ‘yan na sir ‘yung ongoing na clearing operation. [next slide] [next slide] [next slide]
This one sir is in Calaba Bridge, Calaba, Bangued. So the same sir ‘yung sa — kung makikita niyo ‘yung picture sa left ng approach, mayroon tayong crack. [next slide] This one sir is along the Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. May kaunting settlement doon sa left side ng kalsada. [next slide] The same Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. Road slip sir. [next slide] Again, Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. [next slide] The same road section Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. [next slide] The same section. [next slide please] Abra-Ilocos Norte Road again. [next slide] Another section along Abra-Ilocos Norte sir.
Sir so just the same you can see ‘yung may intervention tayo, walang nangyaring slide. Pero ‘yung dito na wala pang intervention, may slides na nangyari. [next] [next]. So again sir another section along Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. [next slide] Ongoing clearing. [next slide] Another section along Abra-Ilocos Norte Road sir. [next slide] [next] So this one sir another section, so again may settlement on the left side of the road. [next slide]
The same road section sir along Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. [next] Again sir along Abra-Ilocos Norte Road. Ito medyo malaki sir ‘yung ano na-open sa — ‘yung crack sa kalsada. [next slide] This one sir along the Abra-Ilocos Norte boundary road. [next slide]
So sir that is just a few of the pictures that affected Abra and ‘yung initial cost ng damage sir is as of this moment is nasa 418 million. Pero I think it will increase sir as we go on with our assessment.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How many national roads are closed for now?
DIR. TANGGOL: In Abra sir, isa na lang.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Isa na lang.
DIR. TANGGOL: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay, which one?
DIR. TANGGOL: Iyong Abra-Kalinga Road, sir. Actually sir na-open ‘yun pero ‘yung aftershock, nagkaroon ulit ng slide.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah, nagka-slide ulit.
OFFICIAL: Abra-Ilocos Norte Road is closed right now sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah, ‘yung pinakita mo. Yeah the one that you just showed us. Abra-Ilocos Norte, is that open?
DIR. TANGGOL: Open na, open na.
OFFICIAL: Hindi, hindi, hindi.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hindi pa raw eh.
OFFICIAL: Just this morning hindi sarado. May mga slides. Just this morning may report po naAbra-Ilocos Norte is closed again.
DIR. TANGGOL: Ah so that’s a result of nung aftershock this morning.
OFFICIAL: Maybe due to the aftershocks early this morning, may mga slides na naman po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: So nagka-landslide ulit.
DIR. TANGGOL: So anyway sir may equipment tayo sa site and they will open the ano…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: How strong are the aftershocks still now?
USEC. SOLIDUM: Magnitude 5, mga intensity 5 po ‘yan so puwede niyang iusog pa ‘yung na-landslide na area.
SEN. MARCOS: Iyong kanina 5, ‘yung kagabi 5.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Malakas pa rin. Okay, so everybody be careful talagang we have to ano balik-balik. We just have to keep going back and clearing all of this.
What about the irrigation? Infrastructure? NIA, may NIA ba dito? Iyon ang inaalala ko eh.
All right, well anyway, siguro mag-i-inspection. We’ll ask them to — we will ask them to give us an assessment of what happened to the irrigation systems.
All right, wala namang peace and order problem. Hindi naman nagkagulo, nothing like that?
OFFICIAL: Sir, bumusina ka naman. [laughter] Bumusina ka nang kaunti.
SEC. TULFO: May update lang ho ‘yung RD natin from CAR, ‘yung Benguet kasi sir tinamaan din eh. Go ahead Arnel Garcia, Director Garcia.
DIR. GARCIA: Mr. President, doon sa Benguet and also in Abra nabibigyan na natin ng mga food packs ang atin pong mga evacuation centers per order ni Secretary. And at the same time, doon sa Benguet, nabayaran na natin ‘yung isang casualty natin. Ito ay burial at guarantee letter doon sa kabaong so lumalabas na mga P35,000 po ‘yan.
As per ano rin po ni Secretary, dito po sa Abra nag-release po tayo ng mga P10 million para roon sa partially at totally damaged houses. Ito po’y ibibigay natin in the form po ng Aid for Individual in Crisis at ito po ay dala po natin.
At this point po, Mr. President, ngayon po ay may 3,900 food packs tayo na-i-airlift at kailangan lang ho namin ng extra chopper kasi po isa lang po. Ang nag-confirm po ay ang Daguioman, Lacub, Boliney, Bucloc, Luba, Malibcong, at saka Tubo for confirmation. Ito po ‘yung mga area na ano po mga outlying isolated areas sir na mayroon ho tayo. Iisa ‘yung chopper.
So nagre-request ako sa OCD na malagyan at kung kinakailangan while nagki-clear po ‘yung local government, eh puwede na nating imano-mano ‘pag ano. Pero ito po ‘yung essential ngayon itong first few ano ay nagaano kami isang chopper lang po ang dala natin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I think ‘yung mga asset natin gamitin na natin. Kasi wala pang nakaabot doon? Wala pang nakapasok doon sa — ‘yung isolated na seven towns?
DIR. GARCIA: Wala pa ho at ngayon ho ‘yung chopper natin ngayon mayroon listahan ho ng barangay ngayon ho ay nililipad ngayon parang isang chopper pa lang ang available.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Nakakailang barangay sila sa isang araw ng pag-distribute?
DIR. GARCIA: Depende ho sa chopper capacity po ‘yan.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah iba-ibang chopper ang ginagamit? Iba-ibang helicopter?
DIR. GARCIA: Ano ba ang capacity Black Hawk, sir?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Let’s hear from the…
SEC. FAUSTINO: Yes sir, we have available helicopters right now, sir. The Northern Luzon commander is here. I have given instructions already, sir.
As presented to you yesterday, sir, we have a number of air assets. Kung Black Hawk sir we have two, then we have the Super Hueys two to three, then we have additional choppers coming may naka-standby sa Metro Manila na puwede nating i-add sir.
Rest assured sir that — I think the airlift of these relief packs will start today. Dadagdagan pa natin ‘yan sir. It will reach…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right, so ‘yung — para we can say that we have reached every part of the affected area not only Abra but even the other provinces.
Yes sir?
NORTHERN LUZON COMMANDER LT. GEN. ERNESTO TORRES: Sir, I’m Lt. Gen. Torres, commander, Northern Luzon Command. The General Headquarters allocated 10 aircrafts for the use of Northern Luzon meaning covering the three regions: Regions I, II, III and Cordillera Administrative Region.
All of these choppers are distributed in Wallace, in Clark, in Camp Aquino. And actually two of those choppers are here with 24th Infantry Battalion at Lagangilang, Abra ready for use.
Now if there are some coordination that has to be made regarding the use of our transport, security, and search and rescue teams we have standby.
Right now, we have deployed over a hundred of our personnel for direct search and rescue operations and we have on standby about 500 for use of regions who need our services. Now, we have established also the HADR or Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief monitoring and coordinating center at Camp Aquino.
Representatives from DSWD, OCD, DILG and PNP are there. So should there be any other coordination like what was mentioned by our friend from DSWD-CAR, it has to pass through us and at the regional level, it could be channeled also through the division commander and the brigade commander. We are ready to support with whatever capability we have, Mr. President. Thank you.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you, General. So siguro pati ‘yung mga reserve — the ones you kept in Clark in reserve, maybe it’s time to bring them here. Hindi naman — it won’t be for… I’m hoping that it will be for short a time, maybe a week. So but we have to feed those people and since walang nakakapasok, wala. Helicopter lang ang option natin. Yes, Sen. Imee.
SEN. MARCOS: Yes Mr. President, I think the report of General Torres as well as our Chief of Staff merely highlights the inefficiency of our system, that they have to brave the chain of command, they have to call on other departments.
Secretary Tulfo has to come here, the President himself has to come here, merely underlies the urgency of empowering the NDRRMC. May I recommend by way of yet another “Imeesolusyon”, rather than a full scale department na mauubos lang ang budget sa sahod ng limang Usec, sangkatutak na Asec, can we start by an NDRRMC authority or administration tulad ni Apo Lakay? Iyong DBM nag-umpisa bilang commission, [inaudible]. Mahaba ‘yung proseso bago maging department kasi rightsizing na.
So may I suggest that we do this urgently and then we certify to the legislature of that, on a smaller basis, just the authority or administration.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: We are siblings indeed. I fully agree. I did not ever understand the concept of a full department. I don’t think it needs that because you don’t really have to form policy. It is just an implementation of a rescue mission or search and rescue mission.
There are many models but the good model that I’ve seen is FEMA in the United States.
SEN. MARCOS: FEMA, the US model.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s only an adjunct of the ano Ministry of Interior yata ‘yun eh, Department of the Interior.
SEN. MARCOS: That’s correct. In our case, perhaps just to prove the point is simply to put it under the Office of the President so that the orders can be issued to different departments because they are primus inter pares, right? So perhaps the best would be that situation under the Office of the President but a mere authority or administration so that we save on cost.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: We should get that proposed bill.
SEN. MARCOS: The bill is filed in the Senate by myself.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: You have one?
SEN. MARCOS: Yeah.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ah all right. The Speaker is right here.
HOUSE SPEAKER AND LEYTE 1ST DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE FERDINAND MARTIN ROMUALDEZ: Mr. President, on the part of the House, we shall support the good senator’s proposal here, owing to the fact that we’ve always been looking for best practices in the FEMA or even the AFAD in Turkey are great models for best practices for these protocols.
We shall also join the good senator from Ilocos Norte on her call to support the budgetary requirements for the restoration of the heritage cultural sites, as well of course as the various infrastructures on the situation report, from declaration of urgent and all this. And we will all do so in coordination with our good representatives from the respective districts who will be I’m sure working with their respective mayors headed by our LMP mayor, my very good friend, Mayor JB Bernos. So we are one in and we are in unity in this call to support these policies that are being outlined today. Mr. President, thank you.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Nakapag-legislate pa tayo.
SEN. MARCOS: Yeah, thank you very much. Apat ‘yung turista sa Bantay Bell Tower nasaktan eh.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I’ve seen the ano pero ‘yun na nga we have to get… I thought we still had to get it written because we have to disabuse ourselves of the whole idea of another whole department. That kind of ano…
SEN. MARCOS: Ang problema kasi sa House department. Iba talaga ‘yung Waray thinking sa Ilocano thinking. [laughter]
OFFICIAL: Mr. President, we shall rightsize our legislation.
SEC. ABALOS: Mr. President, para lang ho ma-assure ang mga kababayan natin dito sa Abra at sa CAR, ang ating pong kapulisan ‘no ay naka-deploy po to make sure talagang matahimik po dahil nagkaroon po tayo ng sakuna. In fact, ang search and rescue po ay 656 na kapulisan, ang naka-standby a total of search and rescue on standby is 3,335; ang ating reactionary standby support on standby is 2,429 at ang ating PNP personnel na nasa evacuation center ay 190.
On top of this, gusto ko rin i-report, Mr. President, na ang atin namang mga bumbero ang BFP ay nag-deploy ng 1,000 mga tao, kumpleto po ito sa mga tools and accessories. Iyong 25 na mga firetrucks na mga bago pinagamit ko po muna dito para magamit niyo po ‘no. And of course, nandito po, meron pa pong mobile kitchen and mobile clinic at tatlong mga doctor on board. Baka kailangan niyo po ‘tong mga mobile na ‘to sa mga lugar. Iyon lang po, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Siguro sa mga evacuation area para ‘yung ipapakain natin at least we can give them a hot meal. Yes, please go ahead.
DIR. GARCIA: Mr. President, this is to inform you na sinerve (serve) ho namin pati Kalinga pati — hindi lang Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province. Ito po ‘yung mga affected at saka Benguet.
And at this point po ay dito po sa Abra ay mayroon ho tayong five million para ibigay po natin para roon sa injured at saka ‘yung partially at saka ‘yung totally damaged mga houses, ito po ay inaano ni Secretary Tulfo at mayroon pa ho na incoming na 5 million. So all in all, 10 million dahil mas marami ho rito para matulungan natin ‘yung mga kababayan. And then mayroon ho tayo ‘yung sa mga ibang area, magpo-provide din ho tayo as support natin.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Okay, very good. Thank you.
All right. So I think we have a good idea of the situation. Let us go once again through the list of the requirements, the needs. Number one is the water supply and of course whatever financial support that the DSWD is intending to provide para ‘yung mga nasa ano that have been rendered homeless or at least they have been evacuated, eh may support naman sila nang kaunti. That will include the feeding and the AICS that we are providing for them now.
SEC. TULFO: Actually sir, mayroon din ho kaming quick reaction na funds ‘yung QRF. Tapos sabi nga po ni Senador Marcos sir na ‘yung sa housing, mayroon din ho kaming ganoon na we provide cash assistance para sa housing.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yeah. And then maybe tingnan muna natin, i-assess natin kung kailangan na makapag-provide kahit na mga trapal lang, kahit ‘yung mga – just for the interim. You are doing that already.
SEC. TULFO: We have that, we have that, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good because that will encourage people to go back home.
All right, so at least doon sa mga naapektuhan, naging biktima, let’s make sure that we are ready to support them and give them all that they need.
Ngayon sa infrastructure, of course sa Public Works, ipaspas niyo ‘yung ano, ipaspas ninyo ‘yung pagbukas. Actually so far what? 85 percent lang ang nag-close nabuksan niyo na. But again we still have the prospect mayroon pa ring mga ano kaya nauulit, ‘yun din ‘yung sinasabi ni Cong. JB, na-clear na, nasisira. But just keep — we just keep doing that.
And then the… Again, the coordination between you and with the civil engineers to do the inspections first of the public buildings. I think your priority will be quite right is the hospital, uunahin natin even before the government buildings, ‘yung mga offices, ‘yung mga ganoon. Unahin natin ‘yung ospital.
All right so when we organize that let’s go first to the hospital, let’s go first to the clinics, the healthcare centers, make sure the – and then we can then go look at the government buildings after which we can puntahan na rin natin ‘yung mga bahay ng mga tao para makita kung puwede na talaga sila — safe na sila kahit na mag-ano.
So that we’ll just keep — we will just keep monitoring that. But again I know I have said it but I will repeat it mga national government agencies lahat ng gagawin ninyo please coordinate closely with the local government para ma-maximize ang inyong mga asset.
Hindi kayo nag-uulit, hindi kayo nagkukulang, you plan everything together. You listen to the local governments because — eh taga-rito rin naman kayo. But you listen to the local governments kasi sila ang — they are the ones who have the fundamental responsibility to bring this aid to our people, oo to those who have been hurt. Iyan ‘yung ating mga…
SEN. MARCOS: [inaudible]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: I know I still say “we”. Sometimes I still say you know “kami sa local government”. [laughter] Hindi ko na matanggal sa ano ko ‘yun eh.
But yes, those are the problems we experienced eh. Oh di ba pagka biglang papasok hindi mo alam kung anong nangyayari, hindi nakikipag-coordinate. Sayang lang ang effort it’s not maximized.
SEN. MARCOS: [inaudible]
PRESIDENT MARCOS: All right so I think that we’ve covered as much as we can. We will continue to monitor of course especially ‘yung mga areas na hindi pa natin na — wala pa tayong balita for now in terms of casualties, in terms of damage et cetera, et cetera.
But ‘yung sa air assets ng DND we will arrange para hindi tayo masyadong nahihirapan at maiaabot na natin ‘yung mga isolated areas o dagdagan natin. The DND has agreed to put another helicopter at the disposal of the distribution, the food and at some point water distribution na gagawin.
Okay I think…
LA PAZ, ABRA MAYOR JOSEPH STO NIÑO “JB” BLANDO BERNOS: Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes.
MAYOR BERNOS: Mayor Bernos po. I’m speaking on behalf of the 27 mayors po, the 27 LGUs. I would like to take this opportunity na magpatulong po sa inyo na sana po palakasin natin ‘yung disaster response ng mga LGUs.
Usually ho ‘pag may lindol, nagkakaroon ng sunog but luckily in Abra hindi po nangyari ‘yan. But for the information of everyone po, ‘yung Abra po apat lang po ‘yung naka-top condition na fire truck in the whole province of Abra.
According to the statistics from the Bureau of Fire, apat lang po ‘yung fire trucks, the rest po are dilapidated. Iyong Bangued nga po may fire truck sila na panahon pa po ng tatay ninyo na fire truck ‘yun. That was 30 something years ago.
So hinihiling ko po na sana palakasin ‘yung disaster response ng mga LGUs. Eh balita ko po from the BFP, they have brought 15 brand new fire trucks to Abra now. Eh baka puwede po, Mr. President, na iwan na lang po ‘yung iba dito. Because of all the municipalities in Abra, we have 16 na fire station pero of that 16, apat lang po ‘yung may naka-top condition na fire truck.
So sana po iwan na lang po ‘yung fire truck dito with the permission from the good SILG, sana po.
And in relation to that po, ‘yung ambulance po every now and then during the previous administrations, I was once a mayor before for three terms, lagi po kaming lumuluhod sa PCSO for ambulance. So this time, siguro naman po open na po lahat ‘yung request namin because may Ilocano President na kami [applause] and we delivered 96 percent of the votes of Abra during the last election. So tingin ko kami naman po ang maniningil ngayon, Mr. President. [laughter] Maraming salamat po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Maraming salamat. All your comments are well noted. And asahan niyo of course sige we will look into it para makapag-ano ng… But the problem of fire truck and ambulance is worse here in Abra than in other provinces. Medyo naiwanan kayo when it comes to that ano so we have to…
Ito ang ating mga legislators sabihin niyo mag-ano ng…
MAYOR BERNOS: Yes, sir. Thank you so much, sir. Pero out of the 15 sir, baka puwede pong makapag-iwan si SILG? [laughter] Hihirit pa.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pag-usapan niyo. Pag-usapan niyo baka makumbinse mo.
MAYOR BERNOS: Thank you so much, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Malakas ka naman sa kanya eh.
MAYOR BERNOS: Maraming salamat po.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Magkaibigan naman kayo eh.
All right. So okay beyond the fire trucks and the ambulances, is there anything else that anyone would like to bring up?
All right. Thank you very much. Thank you and good morning. Thank you for all your help. [applause]
— END —
