Sara thanks Marcos for helping flood-hit Davao

MANILA, Philippines —  Vice President Sara Duterte yesterday thanked President Marcos for visiting the Davao region – her home province – to deliver aid to victims of flooding and landslide that left scores dead or injured.

“Thank you very much, President Bongbong Marcos, for all the help you extended to the affected areas throughout the Davao Region,” Duterte said in a statement.

“Caring for the life and general welfare of the citizens must remain the priority,” she said.

In her statement, Duterte also reminded Mindanao residents to be always prepared for disasters so they could avoid or minimize loss of lives or damage to property.

Rains have been pummeling parts of Mindanao for weeks on and off, triggering flooding and landslides, forcing thousands of residents to flee to emergency shelters.

The Office of the Vice President said it continues to provide aid to residents in the Davao region, as it thanked responders for their “tireless efforts” at helping in search and rescue operations as well as in evacuating residents trapped in flooded areas.

Marcos and Duterte attended a series of events in Davao City – the bailiwick of the Duterte family – amid speculation that they no longer see eye-to-eye following a public tongue-lashing the President received from former president Rodrigo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte at a recent rally. Among the Dutertes, only the Vice President showed up to welcome Marcos.

The former president, in a speech in Davao City, called Marcos a drug addict who was on the drug list of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, while Mayor Duterte demanded in a speech the resignation of the Chief Executive.

Despite the verbal attack from the Dutertes, the President designated his Vice President and education chief to serve as caretaker during his trip to Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) announced that they have mobilized to address the water needs of the devastated communities in Mindanao.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said they have sent water purification teams and equipment to address the lack of potable water in affected areas.

The MMDA said it is set to deliver 90 portable water purification machines, which can process 180 gallons of potable water per hour for drinking, cooking, cleaning and washing. It has already delivered 60 solar-powered water purifiers.

In a statement, the MMDA also revealed deploying 30 personnel from the Public Safety Division, Road Emergency Group and Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office to affected regions.

The PRC, for its part, said it has deployed two water tankers to Mindanao to help communities that lost access to clean and safe drinking water.

PRC chairman Richard Gordon said 8,327 individuals have benefited from 44,200 liters of water distributed in Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte.

“This is why provision of clean water is among the standard response of PRC to communities affected by disasters,” he said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Red Cross volunteers assisted in the search and rescue of passengers of three buses buried in a landslide in Barangay Masara in Maco town.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said massive flooding and landslides in the region have killed 17 people and hurt 11 others.  –  Emmanuel Tupas, Romina Cabrera, Ghio Ong