A day after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Pepito, President Marcos conducted an aerial inspection over Catanduanes, one of the most heavily hit provinces, where he assured residents of government's support in rebuilding damaged houses.
Marcos described the damaged residences and public building as totally peeled fruits after bearing the brunt of the strong typhoon over the weekend.
He said with the strong winds brought by the typhoon, it was not unexpected that there are hundreds of houses damaged in the island province. He assured them that the government will help rebuild their houses.
"[A]ng naging problema rito ay hindi masyado sa ulan ngunit ang lalakas ng hangin. Umabot yata dito ng 230 kilometers at saka yung pagkabugso ng hangin umaabot ng 300 plus kilometers per hour, napakalakas po yun at hindi na magkataka kaya nung umiikot kami nakikita talaga namin yung mga yero na mga building ay parang tinalupan na prutas at nawala lahat ng mga bubong at nakita natin yung mga light construction materials lamang talagang dala dahil sa lakas ng hangin (The problem here was not the rain but the strong winds that reached 300 plus kilometers per hour, that was very strong and it was not surprising that when we were inspecting, we saw that buildings were like peeled fruits, the roofs were gone, light construction materials were gone because of the strong winds)," Marcos said in his speech during the distribution of relief goods in Virac, Catanduanes on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
The President assured them that the government will help them by providing construction materials and cash assistance to kick start the reconstruction of damaged homes.
In his speech, Marcos further assured the affected residents that there is "no deadline" for the government in providing help.
“Walang deadline po ito. Hangga’t kailangan ninyo na magkaroon pa ng food pack, magpapadala pa rin kami (This has no deadline. We will keep sending as long as you need food packs),” the President said.
Marcos said needy families temporarily living with relatives and friends would likewise receive family food packs (FFPs) and other assistance.
During his visit in the province, he also handed over P50 million to the provincial government of Catanduanes to aid the immediate recovery of affected communities.
At least 11 out of its 16 municipalities were severely affected by Pepito in Catanduanes. Damage to houses, government buildings, schools, and other infrastructure were reported.
At the end of his speech, Marcos hailed Catanduanes' resilience, saying "mabuhay ang Catanduanes, ang titibay po ninyo (long love, Catanduanes. You are all very strong)."