President Marcos underscored the need for a “dynamic assessment” of the weather systems as Severe Tropical Storm Enteng proved that “we have to watch what’s coming” due to the extreme weather patterns brought by climate change.
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. presides over a situational briefing on the effects of Typhoon Enteng at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Yummie Dingding / PPA Pool)
During the situation briefing by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday, Sept. 4, the Chief Executive recalled how typhoons were less severe in the past and did not increase in intensity as quickly as the typhoons today.
“And that’s why we have to stay conscious of the weather systems that are developing, that are now approaching the country. We have to have a more dynamic assessment,” he told heads of agencies.
“Of course, we will take care of the people who have been victims of the typhoon, but we have to watch what’s coming,” he said.
Marcos explained that rebuilding without preparing for the next disasters won’t do the country good because resources would be wasted if the government and infrastructure are unprepared for future typhoons.
“So, we have to be a little more dynamic in our analysis for this so that ma-maximize naman natin ang mga resources natin dahil lagi namang kulang ‘yan (to maximize our resources because it will always be lacking). So, we have to make the best of it. We have to make the most of what we have,” the President said.
“I was just about to say it’s no longer one response for each. We have to also think of what is coming in the future para naman (so) we are not caught shorthanded when the time comes that we have to provide the relief and assistance that will be necessary,” he added.
Highlighting the role of state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in guiding the government’s response, the Chief Executive also took note of another possible typhoon coming and tasked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to procure the necessary items for those who will be affected.
“I’m also concerned about the following weather conditions that we are seeing. I originally heard about it yesterday that there is a possibility that this weather structure will become another storm,” he said.
“Kung talagang may pangalawang papasok pa, ang mangyayari diyan, lahat ng ginawa natin ngayon, uulitin natin (If there is a second storm coming in, what will happen there is all we’re doing now, we’re going to do again) if it goes along the same, approximately the same track,” Marcos furthered, as he stressed that it will be a “continuing process.”
And while he assured that the government will respond to the damages brought by Enteng, he also directed agencies “not (to) lose awareness of the next.”
“We have to plan the — we must assume that whatever we do now for the immediate needs of the people who are in the areas that have been hit hard, isipin natin na may susunod pa (let us think that there’s another one coming),” he said.
The President was finally able to conduct an aerial inspection of typhoon-hit areas of Marikina, Antipolo, and Metro Manila on Wednesday afternoon after it was twice cancelled because of the inclement weather.