MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Wednesday morning, October 23, that rescue boats and other essential assets are on their way to the Bicol region where several residents have been left stranded by the severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) ahead of its landfall.
When asked about former Vice President Leni Robredo's call for more rubber boats to be lent to rescuers in Naga City and the broader Bicol region, Marcos said: "Yes. as soon as we can get in. We'll be doing that."
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Rubber boats are being dispatched from as far as Mindanao to aid affected communities in Luzon, Marcos told reporters after the situation briefing with different government agencies at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council headquarters in Quezon City.
"We are now beginning to mobilize our assets, such as rubber boats, which we will be bringing from as far as Mindanao to the areas in need," he said in mixed English and Filipino.
The president said he has received reports that half of Camarines Sur have been submerged in floodwater. "As soon as we can, we will go in. Since we can't use helicopters, we need to use trucks to deliver the supplies," he added.
Marcos said the Department of Public Works and Highways is monitoring the situation and that its regional offices are prepared to give the go signal for "when they can come in."
"That's what we're waiting for now. We are at the mercy of the weather as we always are, so we just have to wait for the true effects of Typhoon Kristine," he added.
The disaster risk and management council in Bicol late Tuesday called for assistance as rescuers can no longer respond to the surge in distress calls amid the severe flooding in various parts of the region, particularly in Camarines Sur, Albay and Naga City.
Robredo earlier joined calls for more rescue boats to be dispatched to Bicol, where her non-profit organization, Angat Buhay, has already mobilized relief and rescue operations.
During the situational briefing, Marcos told Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to be ready to immediately respond to calls for help from local government units, who he said are the "first responders" during times of calamity.
"Let's be prepared to give assistance. There are certain problems that local authorities may not be able to handle or may require additional support for. It's important that we maintain good coordination with the local governments," he said.
To prevent logistical problems in the delivery of essential supplies, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said he will recommend suspending work and classes in key areas to keep roads clear for large trucks needed for disaster relief.
"[I'll] be working closely with the [executive secretary] to recommend suspension of work and classes in areas where we need to marshall our logistics," he said.
Marcos said the government already has its regular standard operating procedures in place, with departments ready to address specific needs across the country, particularly in the Bicol region, which was heavily affected by the storm.
He said agencies will focus on prepositioning goods and equipment to ensure prompt assistance when the storm makes landfall, while also coordinating with various agencies to provide airlift support for suppliers which could be delivered due to inaccessible roads.
Marcos added that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is actively monitoring the situation to ensure that it can activate the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites "which were put there for this purpose."
The president also told the agency heads to "watch again those dams" and avoid a repeat of the uncontrolled water release that occurred in Cagayan Valley in 2020, which he said happened without a proper plan in place.
"Lets anticipate... Let's not wait for the levels to reach the maximum," he said.