MANILA, Philippines — The government’s response to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine is not enough, President Marcos admitted yesterday, as he directed concerned agencies to enhance flood and landslide preparedness measures and disaster early warning systems.
Speaking to reporters after distributing aid to storm-affected residents in Laurel, Batangas, Marcos said a single fatality caused by a disaster is already a “terrible tragedy.”
“I’ll tell you the truth, it’s never enough. It’s never enough,” the President said.
“I wish we could do more. We are doing everything that we can but… You know when you lose a life, you lose a life. What can you do about that? It’s (a) terrible tragedy,” he added.
A total 146 people have died and 130 others injured from the combined effects of Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon as of yesterday morning, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Twenty people remain missing while 2.2 million families or 8.63 million people have been affected by the cyclones, the NDRRMC reported.
In a speech, Marcos assured the public of enhanced government response and stronger resolve to rehabilitate areas severely affected by typhoons in the future.
“I reiterate that the agencies of the government should enhance their preparedness against floods and landslides. We directed the DOST (Department of Science and Technology) to improve their warning system,” Marcos said.
The President also instructed agencies to make the gradual release of dam water ahead of typhoons a standard operating procedure to avoid huge floods.
Agencies like the public works department and the environment department were also directed to revise the flood control master plan so the country’s infrastructure can withstand floods that were supposed to occur every one hundred years but have now become more frequent.
“We are also pushing for a modern design that would protect roads and bridges and ensure that they are durable and appropriate to our climate,” the Chief Executive said.
According to Marcos, the administration is working to make it easier for local governments to access the NDRRMC fund so they could promptly repair damaged facilities and restore the livelihood of affected communities.
“What we are doing in Batangas, we will also do in places ravaged by Kristine and Leon,” he said.
“When it comes to calamities, I will not be contented with the reports sent to me. I want to personally see if the rehabilitation in the affected areas are progressing.”
France, meanwhile, expressed condolences and solidarity with the Filipino people reeling from Kristine’s devastation.
“On this National Day of Mourning for the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, the Embassy of France to the Philippines extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the people of the Philippines,” the French embassy in Manila said in a statement.
“We extend our sympathy to those who have lost their loved ones and to all who were affected during this difficult time,” it said.
“And our thoughts are with all those facing its aftermath. These events remind us of the increasing impact of natural disasters around the world,” the embassy said.
Mass for the dead
Earlier in the day, the President offered a memorial mass for those who died during the onslaught of Kristine in Barangay Sampaloc in Talisay.
“I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to every Filipino affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine,” the Chief Executive said in a speech.
The memorial mass was attended by approximately 100 individuals, including families of victims and residents of ground zero in Barangay Sampaloc.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, Batangas reported the highest number of fatalities, with 61 deaths, at least 20 of whom were from Talisay. Most deaths were due to landslides and drowning, it said. The entire province of Batangas is under a state of calamity.
Call for unity
In a statement, Speaker Martin Romualdez urged Filipinos to unite in helping the victims of Kristine.
Romualdez led the House of Representatives in observing the National Day of Mourning declared by Marcos.
“This day of mourning calls us to compassion and solidarity. As we remember those lost, we extend our deepest sympathies to every family affected, to every community struggling to recover,” Romualdez said.
“Let this be a day when we, as Filipinos, reaffirm our spirit of resilience and togetherness, a time when we find strength in unity and a helping hand in every corner of our country,” he added.
“To each family mourning the loss of a loved one, we stand beside you, sharing in your pain. Your heartbreak is felt by the entire nation, and today, in this national moment of remembrance, you are not alone,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez said that the Day of Mourning is a also a call for compassion and solidarity.
“As we remember those lost, we extend our deepest sympathies to every family affected, to every community struggling to recover. Let this be a day when we, as Filipinos, reaffirm our spirit of resilience and togetherness, a time when we find strength in unity and a helping hand in every corner of our country,” Romualdez said.
“Let this day be a reminder that we are bound together, that we are a nation defined not just by resilience but by our deep compassion for one another,” he said.
“May the souls of those who perished rest in peace, and may we, as one Filipino family, find strength in each other as we move forward. Together, let us remember, let us grieve, and let us help one another rise from this tragedy with renewed hope and unity,” he added.
Romualdez also lauded responders, relief workers and countless volunteers who came forward to aid their fellow Filipinos.
“Your bravery and tireless dedication in the face of such hardship bring comfort to many. Your efforts represent the true Filipino spirit of bayanihan – showing us that even in our darkest hours, there is always someone ready to lend support, ready to lift another up,” Romualdez said.
Acting Albay Gov. Glenda Ong Bongao said the provincial govern[1]ment distributed P10,000 each to surviving families of the victims of Kristine, as the province observed the National Day of Mourning. — Jose Rodel Clapano, Bella Cariaso, Pia Lee-Brago