The Office of the President (OP) will directly release funds to aid the victims of typhoon “Odette” in affected provinces, President Duterte said on Tuesday, Dec. 21.
In his pre-recorded public address, the Chief Executive promised that the money intended for assistance will be “downloaded on or before Friday", or Dec. 24.
“Hindi ito 'yung ano, hindi ito 'yung (This is not the) contingent fund, hindi ito (not) calamity . This is the money nakuha ko (I got) from my office,” he said late Tuesday night without specifying the amount.
“Each and every department ng gobyerno mayroon talaga silang (of the government, they really have a) component for this kind of emergencies and— well, whatever calamity that might come our way,” Duterte explained.
The President previously said that his office had to “scrimp” money in order to help the people in calamity-stricken areas.
He bared in the same address that government funds have been “depleted” due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, prompting him to ask the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on where else to get money for disaster response.
READ: Gov't 'scrimping' on money to raise funds for typhoon victims–Duterte
Duterte, however, assured the public that the government will expedite the delivery of assistance for those who bore the brunt of the super typhoon.
“I will be asking the people, both of the national offices or the local, kung ma-download sa inyo na pakibilisan lang (if the money will be downloaded to you, just have it expedited),” he said.
“I said, on or before Friday, I will be downloading the money to you. Para sa tao ito. Lahat (This is for the people. All of it), up to the last centavo para sa tao ito (is for the people),” Duterte added.
Duterte earlier visited typhoon-stricken Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, and Negros Occidental and is scheduled to visit Siargao and Dinagat Islands today, Dec. 22.
READ: Duterte wants closer look at state of Siargao, Dinagat Islands
Typhoon Odette slammed into the country last week, making a total of nine landfalls. It is the strongest typhoon recorded this year, leaving at least 375 dead and more than 50 people missing.
Odette flattened tourist spots, residential areas, business districts, and public infrastructures, with officials expecting the extent of the damage to reach billions of pesos.