President Marcos assured residents of Negros Occidental that government support will be sustained and expanded in the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, telling survivors that the administration will ensure their “safe and swift recovery.”

Marcos said this as he visited the typhoon victims in Negros Occidental, a province he described as “among the hardest hit” by the recent calamities.

In a social media post, the President ensured the quick recovery of those affected by the typhoon.

“Sisiguraduhin naming maayos, ligtas at mabilis ang inyong pagbangon (We will ensure that your recovery is orderly, safe, and swift),” he said as he toured some of the worst-hit areas in the province on Saturday, Nov. 15.

He added that the situation prompted the rapid deployment of food, water, health services, power restoration efforts, and clearing operations.

Marcos later convened a situation briefing at the La Castellana Municipal Hall with Cabinet members from the departments of Energy, Education, Health, Agriculture, Human Settlements, and Social Welfare, alongside local officials.

The President has so far allocated P95 million in assistance for Negros Occidental’s recovery. The fund distribution includes:

Marcos said the national government will continue delivering relief and rehabilitation programs “hangga’t hindi nakakabalik sa normal ang mga komunidad (until communities fully return to normal).”

The President began his day at the Jose Pepito Montilla Garcia Sr. National High School (JPMGS NHS) in Moises Padilla, where several classrooms were submerged during the typhoon.

Moises Padilla Public Schools District Supervisor Gideon Panganiban became emotional as he described the devastation and the difficulty of ensuring learning continuity.

“Para sa amin dito sa DepEd Moises Padilla, napakasuwerte namin (For us here in DepEd Moises Padilla, we are very fortunate),” he said, noting how rare it is for a sitting President to reach towns this remote.

JPMGS NHS Principal Mary Grace Ynon expressed similar gratitude.

“I never imagined na makikita ko po si PBBM sa ganitong sitwasyon (I never imagined I would see President Marcos in a situation like this),” she said.

The school has more than 1,200 enrolled students who have shifted to alternative delivery modes while repairs are ongoing.

From the school, President Marcos proceeded to Barangay Poblacion to check damaged houses and speak with residents who lost their homes.

He then traveled to the La Castellana Elementary School evacuation center, where 307 families (around 1,117 individuals) are currently staying, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Marcos asked evacuees about their needs and assured them of continued assistance.

The President also inspected the collapsed Bungahin Steel Bridge in Barangay Robles. The structure, destroyed at the height of the typhoon, severed access between upland communities and La Castellana’s town center.

Officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) briefed the President on ongoing clearing and reconstruction plans.