MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development to procure tarpaulin sheets and lumber from uprooted coconut trees to allow families displaced by Super Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) to construct temporary shelters.
According to the latest situation report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, exactly 3,952,880 individuals or 1,012,997 families were affected by Odette as 546,100 displaced persons remained in 1,198 evacuation centers around the country.
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Speaking at his Talk to the People on Monday night, the chief executive said that food was still "adequate" in areas hit by the super typhoon according to the DSWD while the bigger hurdle remained reconstructing homes.
“Tarpaulin would protect people from the cold at night — instead of letting them sleep under plastic...Buy the tarpaulin sheets first, if it can be done within 48 hours — a tarpaulin sheet that covers a family of six in the areas where no repairs can yet be done,” he said in mixed Filipino and English.
"I saw in some areas that people are sleeping with only plastics over their heads...Buy trapal, the appropriate size for a family of maybe six people. Trapal will protect them from the cold. If it can be done in 48 hours, just estimate the trapal that cover a family of six in areas without repairs yet."
The NDRRMC added that Odette caused almost P16.7 billion in infrastructure damages, while damaged houses also tallied an estimated cost of P29.2 million.
Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said at the taped meeting that assets containing food packs, water, and housing materials have already been activated pending the availability of air and water transportation.
Duterte pledges P5,000 per family
Contrary to his earlier statements that government disaster response funds have already been depleted, the chief executive also reiterated his earlier promise that P5,000 will be given to each family directly affected by 'Odette.'
"Conduct canvassing right away, don't conduct bidding process. But it's also okay if they want it.. But it will delay the assistance needed for the situation," Duterte said, addressing Bautista.
Earlier that day, data from the DSWD sent to media said that a total of P130 million worth of assistance was provided to the affected families. Of which:
- 99,664,449.37 came from the DSWD
- 30,137,105.20 was provided by the Local Government Units
- 1,071,775.00 from Non-Government Organizations
- 12,500.00 from Other Partners
Duterte on Monday night also said that in Siargao, almost all trees fell or were uprooted due to Odette’s strong winds.
"Let’s get a chainsaw and process the woods there...Those who own lands that are planted with coconut, then fell down, just give the lumber to the people there, in Siargao, if you build a mini sawmill there, it's easy, right there, it's already there, the wood, so it should come out as lumber," he said.
"Coconut is not advisable to be used to bhe uild homes, but it’s just temporary. Maybe we can paint them black,” he added. — Franco Luna