Expressing disappointment that the government could have “done better” in preparing and evacuating Filipinos before the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng”, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday, Oct. 29, deplored that a death toll of 45 was "a little too high".
Civil defense officials revised the earlier reported death toll of 72 down to 45, with 40 dead in southern Mindanao and five other people elsewhere in the country. They also said 31 were injured, and 15 remained missing.
But Marcos did not only express his disappointment during a full council meeting he presided virtually with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday afternoon, he also sought explanation from government offices as to why people were not evacuated earlier, especially in Maguindanao where flooding and flash floods caused massive destruction and death.
“It will be important to us to look back and see why this happened na hindi natin naagapan ito (why we weren’t able to prevent it),” he said, adding that the number seems very high for a flooding incident.
"I’m a little bit concerned why the situation in Maguindanao was so bad; let’s study it further, Sec. Solidum, and we’ll find what we can do para mas maging accurate ang mga forecast natin (so our forecast can be more accurate) especially sa (in) flooding ‘cause that seems to be the problem now,” Marcos said, referring to Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.
The Chief Executive lamented how the government “could have done better in Maguindanao in terms of preparing” since the 40 reported deaths “is a little too high.”
READ: Marcos eyes national state of calamity
“We should have done better than that,” he pointed out.
The President has instructed national government agencies to assist the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in its relief and rescue operations on the recent flooding in Maguindanao.
On the instruction of the chief executive, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that the government has available overall relief resources of P1.5 billion with P445.2 million standby funds and quick response fund (QRF).
Paeng, which made landfall in Camarines Sur at midnight and in Batangas shortly after noon on Saturday, is currently ravaging Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and nearby provinces.
But before it made landfall, the severe tropical storm brought heavy rains in parts of Visayas and Mindanao, particularly causing flash floods and flooding in Maguindanao and Cotabato.
Homes and public infrastructure, such as major roads and bridges, were destroyed by Paeng, which is a trending topic on Twitter as Filipinos disseminate information, coordinate response, and ask for donations.