President Ferdinand Marcos has reaffirmed his administration's commitment to fortifying communities against calamities through a blend of housing and infrastructure initiatives.

Marcos said this as he led the ceremonial turnover of eight completed Yolanda Permanent Housing Projects in Leyte, Samar, and Biliran on Friday, Jan. 17.

In his speech, the President shared his government's ongoing efforts to mitigate disaster impacts.

“Tuloy-tuloy ang ating pagsulong ng mga hakbang upang mabawasan ang pinsalang bunsod ng mga kalamidad (We continue to advance steps to reduce the damage caused by calamities),” he said.

Marcos particularly cited the Leyte Tide Embankment Project as a key flood mitigation initiative to protect coastal communities from strong tides. He hoped the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) would complete it on time.

“Mayroon pong flood mitigation project dito sa Leyte. Ito po yung Leyte Tide Embankment Project na layong mabigyan ng proteksyon laban sa malalakas na alon ang mga komunidad na malapit sa dagat (There's a flood mitigation project here in Leyte. This is the Leyte Tide Embankment Project aimed at providing protection against strong waves for communities near the sea),” he said.

Meanwhile, President Marcos directed the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) to expand their search for technology and design solutions for climate-resilient housing.

"Inaasahan ko na palalawigin pa ninyo ang pagtuklas at paggamit ng mga disenyo ng pabahay na mas matibay pa, mas angkop sa pagbabago ng klima at hamon ng panahon (I expect you to further broaden the discovery and use of housing designs that are more durable, more suitable to climate change and the challenges of the times)," he said.

The President likewise highlighted the importance of standardized designs for flood control projects nationwide to withstand frequent downpours and flooding. He noted his discussions with DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan to ensure budget reviews facilitate the smooth execution of these critical projects.

To bolster disaster response, Marcos said the government has intensified the capabilities of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) workers, focusing on information dissemination, community engagement, and inter-agency coordination.

“Bilang pangunahing hakbang, nagtatayo tayo ng mga imprastruktura na magsisilbing proteksyon at sentro ng ating mga operasyon (As a primary step, we are building infrastructure that will serve as protection and the center of our operations)," he said.

"Isa rito ang pagtatatag ng evacuation centers at Disaster Response Command Center na tatayong sentro ng ating paghahatid-tulong (This includes establishing evacuation centers and a Disaster Response Command Center which will stand as the center of our aid delivery),” he added.