By Brian Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday condoled with the family of the lone fatality in the province of Camarines Norte following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi).
“We have been monitoring Pepito all night. At unfortunately, I’m sorry and saddened to report that mayroon tayong casualty na isa sa [Camarines] Norte. And you know my feelings about that is that one casualty is one casualty too many. So, that is unfortunate,” the President said in a media interview at Malacañan Palace.
According to an update by the Camarines Norte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and shared by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), a 79-year-old man died due to a road-crash incident (self-accident), while 14 others were injured.
As of 7:00 a.m., the province recorded a total of 22,351 families or 76,652 individuals affected by Pepito across 149 barangays.
Meanwhile, based on the 8:00 a.m. situational report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), at least 295,576 families or 1,145,942 individuals across 3,358 barangays from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were displaced by cyclones Nika (Toraji), Ofel (Usagi), and Pepito.
Of the said numbers, 104,830 families or 446,177 persons are being helped inside 2,717 evacuation centers, while 66,681 families or 238,894 individuals are being aided outside the shelters.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released a total of P77,788,219.63 million in financial assistance, with over P2.2 billion remaining in standby funds.
As of Sunday, the DSWD has distributed 230,389 family food packs (FFPs) to residents affected by recent cyclones in Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region, CAR, Central Luzon, and Bicol Region.
The President, likewise, expressed gratitude to first responders and local government units (LGUs) for working tirelessly to respond to the effects of recent typhoons that battered the country.
“I am sure that they are exhausted. I am sure that they continue to do and work as hard as they can. Kaya’t tayo po’y nagpapasalamat sa kanila,” Marcos said.
The Chief Executive also thanked the public for remaining vigilant and alert against Pepito’s impact and also vowed to continue the rebuilding efforts, especially as Christmas nears.
“We will now carry on with rescue [operations] in the isolated areas and continuing relief [efforts] for those who have been displaced [by the typhoon] and have no means to prepare their own meals and have no water supplies,” he said.
“At kahit papaano sana ‘yung ating (mga relief goods) gawing pamasko, ipamahagi na lang natin sa kanila. Kawawa naman at sila’y naghihirap,” the President added. (with report from Clay Pardilla/PTV News)
—av