Govt to declare typhoon hit areas in Visayas, Mindanao as state of national calamity
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: The government will declare a state of national calamity areas in the Visayas and Mindanao affected by Typhoon Sendong, President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Tuesday.
The President visited Cagayan de Oro City to oversee the conditions of the residents there and direct government response to the disaster following the devastation of Typhoon Sendong on Saturday.
The disaster left hundreds of people dead while scores remain missing.
Thousands have been living in temporary shelters. Local Cagayan de Oro City officials raised their concerns with the President during a briefing held at the Philippine Air Force base in Lumbia airport. The chief executive assured them that there is enough government funds for relief assistance and rehabilitation to help ease the flight of the victims.
Aside from the fund that will come from the national government, the President said there are supports coming from foreign donors, some in the form of loans and others providing equipment and expertise.
After meeting officials in Cagayan de Oro, the President flew to Iligan City, to also assess the situation there. He is also scheduled to lead the distribution of relief goods in Iligan City which is also hardly hit by Typhoon Sendong.
After visiting Iligan City, the President will go back to Cagayan de Oro to distribute assistance to the affected residents. By noon, the President departs from Cagayan de Oro to Dumaguete City, another devastated area.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), the death toll in Region 10 now reaches more than 800 people. With many still unaccounted for. (PCOO)
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Aquino orders DILG, PNP to keep people away from danger areas
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III instructed the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to prevent affected residents from returning to the danger areas in the city following a deadly flashflood spawned by Typhoon Sendong that killed hundreds of people on Saturday.
“Going back to danger areas should no longer be permitted. I want that very clear… (there should be) no settlement in portions already described as extremely dangerous, …like Isla de Oro, and neighboring barangays…,” the President said in a briefing with government officials in this city on Tuesday.
The President arrived in Cagayan de Oro Tuesday morning to assess the damage of Typhoon Sendong and coordinate relief and assistance efforts by the government.
Local officials raised their problems with the President during the briefing particularly on housing for the displaced residents, noting that people couldn’t be staying in the schools for long periods.
Based on recent figures by the local government, there are 8,000 evacuees in Cagayan de Oro City.
In his response, the President said there are 1,000 houses earmarked for Cagayan de Oro by the National Housing Authority (NHA) although he said there is still no estimate for money needed for building new houses.
At the same time, he said the government has a calamity fund that will cover building new houses.
The plan is to permanently relocate people away from danger zones to prevent similar incidents but since it needs time, the government needs temporary shelters, local officials said.
During the briefing, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it would provide funds through its core shelter program so that evacuees could permanently stay in new houses to be built for them.
But in the mean time, the DSWD proposed to move the evacuees from schools to bigger grounds to ease the congestion. The DSWD added that it is working with the NHA for temporary shelters before evacuees are relocated to permanent resettlement area.
Temporarily, the DSWD said it would erect tents in wide school grounds and in areas to be identified by the local government in the next two weeks. The long term goal is to remove them from the schools by January, it said.
Local officials proposed that the Upper Balunan near the airport in the city could be used as new resettlement site for the evacuees.
Also, an area in the 42-hectare Upper Gusa near Philstate could also be suitable for relocation, they said.
The DILG identified six danger areas: Sitio Kala-Kala and Sitio Tambo both in Bgry. Makasandig, Isla de Oro in Bgry. 13, Isla Bugnaw in Brgy. Consolacion and Isla Kupa located in Bgry. Consolation. (PCOO)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: The government will declare a state of national calamity areas in the Visayas and Mindanao affected by Typhoon Sendong, President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Tuesday.
The President visited Cagayan de Oro City to oversee the conditions of the residents there and direct government response to the disaster following the devastation of Typhoon Sendong on Saturday.
The disaster left hundreds of people dead while scores remain missing.
Thousands have been living in temporary shelters. Local Cagayan de Oro City officials raised their concerns with the President during a briefing held at the Philippine Air Force base in Lumbia airport. The chief executive assured them that there is enough government funds for relief assistance and rehabilitation to help ease the flight of the victims.
Aside from the fund that will come from the national government, the President said there are supports coming from foreign donors, some in the form of loans and others providing equipment and expertise.
After meeting officials in Cagayan de Oro, the President flew to Iligan City, to also assess the situation there. He is also scheduled to lead the distribution of relief goods in Iligan City which is also hardly hit by Typhoon Sendong.
After visiting Iligan City, the President will go back to Cagayan de Oro to distribute assistance to the affected residents. By noon, the President departs from Cagayan de Oro to Dumaguete City, another devastated area.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), the death toll in Region 10 now reaches more than 800 people. With many still unaccounted for. (PCOO)
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Aquino orders DILG, PNP to keep people away from danger areas
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III instructed the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to prevent affected residents from returning to the danger areas in the city following a deadly flashflood spawned by Typhoon Sendong that killed hundreds of people on Saturday.
“Going back to danger areas should no longer be permitted. I want that very clear… (there should be) no settlement in portions already described as extremely dangerous, …like Isla de Oro, and neighboring barangays…,” the President said in a briefing with government officials in this city on Tuesday.
The President arrived in Cagayan de Oro Tuesday morning to assess the damage of Typhoon Sendong and coordinate relief and assistance efforts by the government.
Local officials raised their problems with the President during the briefing particularly on housing for the displaced residents, noting that people couldn’t be staying in the schools for long periods.
Based on recent figures by the local government, there are 8,000 evacuees in Cagayan de Oro City.
In his response, the President said there are 1,000 houses earmarked for Cagayan de Oro by the National Housing Authority (NHA) although he said there is still no estimate for money needed for building new houses.
At the same time, he said the government has a calamity fund that will cover building new houses.
The plan is to permanently relocate people away from danger zones to prevent similar incidents but since it needs time, the government needs temporary shelters, local officials said.
During the briefing, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it would provide funds through its core shelter program so that evacuees could permanently stay in new houses to be built for them.
But in the mean time, the DSWD proposed to move the evacuees from schools to bigger grounds to ease the congestion. The DSWD added that it is working with the NHA for temporary shelters before evacuees are relocated to permanent resettlement area.
Temporarily, the DSWD said it would erect tents in wide school grounds and in areas to be identified by the local government in the next two weeks. The long term goal is to remove them from the schools by January, it said.
Local officials proposed that the Upper Balunan near the airport in the city could be used as new resettlement site for the evacuees.
Also, an area in the 42-hectare Upper Gusa near Philstate could also be suitable for relocation, they said.
The DILG identified six danger areas: Sitio Kala-Kala and Sitio Tambo both in Bgry. Makasandig, Isla de Oro in Bgry. 13, Isla Bugnaw in Brgy. Consolacion and Isla Kupa located in Bgry. Consolation. (PCOO)
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Aquino assures victims of typhoon ‘Sendong’ in Mindanao of government assistance
ILIGAN CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III assured the victims of typhoon “Sendong” that hit the southern island of Mindanao over the weekend that the national government has been attending to their needs, as he personally assessed the situation in the typhoon-ravaged areas
Speaking before the locals of Iligan at the Iligan City National High School Auditorium on Tuesday, President Aquino expressed his personal concern to the typhoon victims prior to the distribution of financial assistance to the locals.
The President visited the typhoon affected areas in Mindanao that include the provinces of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete.
“Ngayon nandito po kami sampu ng ating Gabinete para maihatid ang mga pangunahing tulong ng national government. Kanina po pinag-usapan namin ang pangunahing problema ay iyong tirahan,” the President said.
The President handed over at least P11.8 million to Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz as part of the government’s assistance under the Cash for Work Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“Itong araw pong ito, may itutulong tayo na P11,870,000 at ito ay para sa may mga 5,521 beneficiaries, cash for work program mula sa DSWD. Landbank na tseke po ito na ite-turnover natin kay Mayor Cruz,” President Aquino noted.
Apart from the amount under the DSWD, President Aquino also turned over a Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) amounting to P60 million from the local government support fund which is intended to for future projects of the government in the area.
“Ito naman ang tinatawag na notice of cash allocation na pang-pondo ng mga proyekto ng gobyerno. Nagkakahalaga po ito ng 60 million mula sa local government support fund, ite-turnover na rin natin kay Mayor,” the President said.
He added that the government will continuously work with the local government, including Representative Vicente Belmonte, not only to end the illegal activities of some unscrupulous groups but also to expedite the rehabilitation and reconstruction process.
“Para matigil na iyong naghahanap-buhay na nakapipinsala sa kapitbahay, makikipag-ugnayan po tayo, tuluy-tuloy kay Congressman Belmonte at kay Mayor Lawrence para mapabilis iyong paglalagay sa inyo sa ayos,” President Aquino said.
“Pipilitin natin na paghusayin pa iyong ginagawa ng inyong gobyernong nasyonal para hindi maulit iyong trahedyang tulad nito,” he added.
The Chief Executive encouraged the people to cooperate with their local leaders to put a stop to the problems that may have caused the devastation.
“Aminado po tayo deka-dekadang problema po iyan, hindi naman natin malulutas ng ganoon-ganoon lang. Sa tulong po niyo mapapabilis natin ito. Sa maraming problemang kinakarga ng ating mayor at kinatawan, tulungan natin silang mapabilis ang paghanap sa solusyon,” the President said.
President Aquino reiterated his personal sympathies to those who have lost their loved ones and properties.
Also present during the President’s visit in Iligan were other government officials led by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, among others.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) accounted the number of fatalities to 684, the biggest number of which comes from Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) initial estimates revealed that typhoon Sendong’s damage to farmlands in the Visayas and Mindanao has reached 8.1 million pesos.
DA’s Central Action Center also reported that the storm damaged a total of 1,904 hectares of rice farms where 3.57 million pesos worth of seedlings in vegetative stages were planted. (PCOO)
Aquino assures victims of typhoon ‘Sendong’ in Mindanao of government assistance
ILIGAN CITY: President Benigno S. Aquino III assured the victims of typhoon “Sendong” that hit the southern island of Mindanao over the weekend that the national government has been attending to their needs, as he personally assessed the situation in the typhoon-ravaged areas
Speaking before the locals of Iligan at the Iligan City National High School Auditorium on Tuesday, President Aquino expressed his personal concern to the typhoon victims prior to the distribution of financial assistance to the locals.
The President visited the typhoon affected areas in Mindanao that include the provinces of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete.
“Ngayon nandito po kami sampu ng ating Gabinete para maihatid ang mga pangunahing tulong ng national government. Kanina po pinag-usapan namin ang pangunahing problema ay iyong tirahan,” the President said.
The President handed over at least P11.8 million to Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz as part of the government’s assistance under the Cash for Work Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“Itong araw pong ito, may itutulong tayo na P11,870,000 at ito ay para sa may mga 5,521 beneficiaries, cash for work program mula sa DSWD. Landbank na tseke po ito na ite-turnover natin kay Mayor Cruz,” President Aquino noted.
Apart from the amount under the DSWD, President Aquino also turned over a Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA) amounting to P60 million from the local government support fund which is intended to for future projects of the government in the area.
“Ito naman ang tinatawag na notice of cash allocation na pang-pondo ng mga proyekto ng gobyerno. Nagkakahalaga po ito ng 60 million mula sa local government support fund, ite-turnover na rin natin kay Mayor,” the President said.
He added that the government will continuously work with the local government, including Representative Vicente Belmonte, not only to end the illegal activities of some unscrupulous groups but also to expedite the rehabilitation and reconstruction process.
“Para matigil na iyong naghahanap-buhay na nakapipinsala sa kapitbahay, makikipag-ugnayan po tayo, tuluy-tuloy kay Congressman Belmonte at kay Mayor Lawrence para mapabilis iyong paglalagay sa inyo sa ayos,” President Aquino said.
“Pipilitin natin na paghusayin pa iyong ginagawa ng inyong gobyernong nasyonal para hindi maulit iyong trahedyang tulad nito,” he added.
The Chief Executive encouraged the people to cooperate with their local leaders to put a stop to the problems that may have caused the devastation.
“Aminado po tayo deka-dekadang problema po iyan, hindi naman natin malulutas ng ganoon-ganoon lang. Sa tulong po niyo mapapabilis natin ito. Sa maraming problemang kinakarga ng ating mayor at kinatawan, tulungan natin silang mapabilis ang paghanap sa solusyon,” the President said.
President Aquino reiterated his personal sympathies to those who have lost their loved ones and properties.
Also present during the President’s visit in Iligan were other government officials led by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, among others.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) accounted the number of fatalities to 684, the biggest number of which comes from Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) initial estimates revealed that typhoon Sendong’s damage to farmlands in the Visayas and Mindanao has reached 8.1 million pesos.
DA’s Central Action Center also reported that the storm damaged a total of 1,904 hectares of rice farms where 3.57 million pesos worth of seedlings in vegetative stages were planted. (PCOO)
