Dinagat Islands is in dire need of help as food and water supplies in the typhoon Odette-stricken province start to dwindle with still no electricity and any means of communication, Vice President Leni Robredo said.
"Kailangan na kailangan po ng Dinagat Islands yung tulong natin (Dinagat Islands badly need our help)," Robredo said as she posted updates on the situation in the province after typhoon Odette made landfall there on Thursday, Dec. 16.
The Vice President, who visited typhoon-hit provinces over the weekend, disclosed that residents in Dinagat Islands are "running out of food" and "the entire region has still no access to basic necessities."
There is still no electricity, access to water supply, and any means of communication, she added.
"Naiyak po kami paglapag pa lang namin nung nakita namin ang kalagayan nila. Wasak na wasak halos lahat pati ang provincial capitol na binisita pa lang namin two years ago (We couldn't help but cry when we saw their situation. Almost all structures, including the provincial capitol that we visited just visited two years ago, are ruined)," Robredo said.
In a video shared by the Office of the Vice President to reporters Monday, Dec. 20, typhoon Odette left a trail of destruction starting from the toppled electric posts and trees, unroofed houses, to the massively-damaged provincial capitol.
Robredo said "almost all their belongings were drifted away by the typhoon."
"Maraming lugar ang hindi pa madaanan ng sasakyan dahil sa mga natumbang poste ng kuryente at mga kahoy. Kinailangan po kaming sumakay sa motorsiklo para lang makaikot (Many areas are still impassable due to toppled electric posts and trees. We needed to rode a motorcycle to go around the areas)," Robredo said.
WATCH: Situation in Dinagat Islands after the onslaught of typhoon Odette. VP Leni Robredo says "food supply in the province is dwindling, no electricity, water supply, and any means of communication." OVP @manilabulletin pic.twitter.com/ds7CYmofyH
— Betheena Unite (@MB_unite) December 20, 2021
The Vice President, who is running for president in the 2022 national elections, flew to Bohol on Friday, Dec. 17, to asses how her office can further assist typhoon-hit communities in the province. Since then, she went from one province to another, including Surigao, Dinagat Islands, and Southern Leyte.
READ MORE: Robredo visits typhoon-hit Bohol; will visit Leyte, Surigao, Cebu, Negros