President Marcos has ordered relief operations and monitoring in the earthquake-stricken areas in Mindanao.
Marcos virtually met with government officials on Sunday evening, Nov. 19 (Manila time) while he was in Hawaii to order government agencies to continue the relief operations to affected families.
“You seem to have – be well in hand. Let’s just be vigilant. Let’s keep watching. We must pay attention to aftershocks because sometimes maraming nagiging casualty sa aftershock,” Marcos said.
The President also ordered them to ensure the safety of the residents in earthquake-stricken areas, noting the spread of “fake news” regarding tsunami hitting the region, but emphasized that they should be more vigilant.
“Actually, that’s a valid concern pagka lindol (during earthquakes)… if there is going to be any movement from the sea, it would have happened already kasi hindi naman malayo. Napakalapit ng epicenter (because it is not that far. It is near the epicenter),” Marcos said.
“But anyway, about aftershocks, let’s just keep watching. Let’s keep waiting. Let’s not pull our people just yet until mag-subside ‘yan para makasiguro tayo na walang ma-injure o mamatay (it subsides to make sure that there will be no injuries or fatalities),” he added.
The Chief Executive said he will regularly meet the government officials to get updates on the situation in the affected areas during his official trip to Honolulu.
Present during the meeting were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Social Welfare Undersecretary Edu Punay, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, and other government officials.
Marcos arrived in Honolulu on Sunday afternoon (Manila time) where he is slated to visit the US Indo-Pacific Command Headquarters, have a capability orientation for the JBPHH/ West Philippines Sea Support, attend a barge tour and a wreath-laying ceremony, and a roundtable meeting at the Daniel Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies.
Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte, who is the government's caretaker, visited Sarangani on Sunday to check on the affected families.
She went to the Ladera Funeral Homes in Glan where the remains of the mother and her child, who died due to a landslide, were brought. She also visited the injured individuals currently recuperating at the Sarangani Provincial Hospital - Glan.