President Marcos has encouraged all agencies and government partners to pitch in to respond to those affected by the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.

Marcos said this on Thursday evening, Oct. 24, as he assured the public that the government is "urgently working towards the immediate deployment of relief, recovery, and rehabilitation amidst the severe devastation caused by "Kristine" in the Bicol Region.

"We direct all agencies and offices of the government, as well as our partners in the private and non-government sector, to pitch in, strengthen and reinforce the bulwark which we have built against this raging tempest," Marcos said in his statement.

The President further said that the government is allocating its available resources to bring help to those affected by the typhoon.

He added that the government is now intensifying preparations as the typhoon makes its way to Southern Tagalog and Northern Luzon, adding that the priority is to mitigate the damage it may cause.

"We are now intensifying, as well, preparations as this generational typhoon makes its way to Southern Tagalog, and barrels towards Northern Luzon. Our priority there is to mitigate the damage it may cause, evacuate those living hazardous areas, and to preposition necessary goods and personnel to ensure the continuous availability of essential supplies once the Typhoon arrives," Marcos said.

He further told those who were hit by the typhoon that "help has already reached many places" as of Thursday.

"Sa mga minamahal kong kababayan na apektado ng bagyong ito, o may mga kapamilya o minamahal na naninirahan sa mga lugar na direktang tinamaan: dumating na ang tulong sa maraming lugar, paparating na ang tulong sa iba pa, ipagkakaloob ang buong saklolo, at walang sinumang Pilipino ang maiiwan (To my fellowmen who were affected by this typhoon or has family living along the path of the typhoon: help has arrived in many places and are on the way to other places, rescue will be given and no Filipino will be left behind)," he added.

As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of Kristine was over the coastal waters of Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur.

It added that a few days after exiting the country, there is a possibility that Kristine may loop back over the West Philippine Sea by Sunday or Monday, Oct. 27 or 28, which could result in its return to the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

As of the 5 p.m. bulletin from PAGASA, Signal No. 3 is still in effect in Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan due to Kristine.