President Marcos has assured those affected by Typhoon Marce that the government will not leave them behind as he vowed to ensure the swift reconstruction of their damaged houses.

Marcos said this as he led the distribution of government assistance to residents affected by the typhoon in Buguey, Cagayan on Sunday, Nov. 10.

In his speech, the President thanked the people for evacuating early as he recognized how difficult it must be for them to leave their homes behind.

“Alam namin mahirap para sa ibang tao na iwanan ang inyong bahay at iwanan ninyo ang pag-aari. Ngunit ito ang bubuhay sa inyo, ito ang sasalba sa inyo, eh (We know it’s hard for you to leave your houses and properties but this will save your lives),” he said.

With this, Marcos assured those affected that the government would immediately reconstruct houses damaged by Typhoon Marce in Cagayan.

“Ang dapat talaga nating tingnan ay ang reconstruction… yun ang tututukan natin (We need to focus on reconstruction),” he said.

Marcos vowed that the government would not abandon victims until they fully recovered from the typhoon’s effects. He said the aid provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will continue.

Typhoon Marce made landfall in the vicinity of Santa Ana and later in Sanchez-Mira, Cagayan, on Nov. 7. 

It exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Nov. 8, with Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 having been the highest warning level issued during its onslaught.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that Typhoon Marce affected a total of 15,518 families in Cagayan, 6,395 of them are sheltered at evacuation centers. More than 3,000 families are staying outside the evacuation centers.

Five municipalities experienced flooding in Cagayan. Nineteen Cagayan municipalities are currently experiencing power interruption, according to NDRRMC. Two bridges and a road are impassable as of Saturday.

Cagayan officials have asked the national government to augment the air assets being used for assessment and transportation of logistics to isolated areas. They also require 30,000 boxes of Family Food Packs and help to restore electricity in Northern Cagayan municipalities.

They need construction materials for houses damaged.

P80-million aid

During his visit, President Marcos handed over P10 million each to the municipalities of Aparri, Buguey, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Teresita, Baggao, Gattaran, Gonzaga, and Santa Ana. The funds were received by their respective local chief executives.

He also witnessed the distribution of assistance from different government agencies—the DSWD, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The DSWD distributed 1,800 food packs; the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), 200 packs of five-kilogram rice and 20 boxes of sardines; and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), 1,000 packs of 10kg rice.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) handed over P866.3 million in various interventions to farmers composed of hybrid rice seeds, fertilizer discounts, vegetable seeds, native chickens, and ducks.

The NDRRMC reported that as of Saturday, Nov. 9, a total of 326,137 Family Food Packs and P130,769,647.70 in Food and Non-Food Items (FNIs) at DSWD Field Offices I and II are available for augmentation and relief assistance.