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Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday commiserated with the victims of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) and assured them that his administration is ‘working round-the-clock’ to help them recover from the aftermath of the cyclone.
In a speech at Malacañan Palace in Manila, Marcos also hailed the local government units (LGUs) for their crucial role in ensuring the safety of their constituents during Kristine’s onslaught
‘I would like to express my sympathy for our fellow Filipinos who have become victims of tropical storm Kristine. We are grateful for the resilience, leadership, and proactive measures undertaken by our local government units which have saved many, many lives,’ Marcos said.
‘Being first responders, the local government units are the entities that we count on for that very first response. And they have as usual come through and have done everything that is humanly possible to provide relief, to provide rescue, and to provide assistance to all those who are in peril,’ he add
ed.
Marcos said the national government is in constant contact and close coordination with LGUs who know ‘where the most critical areas are.’
This, as Marcos acknowledged that Kristine is ‘just a sample of how frequent our storms and cyclones have become,’ admitting that weather disturbances are ‘now happening at greater frequency and ferocity due to climate change.’
‘We in the national government are working round the clock to provide all the assistance needed by our LGUs and our people affected by the storm,’ he said.
‘We will continue to do this. We are just, unfortunately, Kristine is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility, I think, mukhang matagal pa (it will take some time),’ Marcos added.
Rapid deployment of resources
Marcos said a C-130 aircraft arrived at the Bicol International Airport on Friday morning for the immediate deployment of uniformed personnel and assets, including satellite communication, generator sets, generator sets for satellite communication, and water filtrat
ion units, to the Bicol Region.
He said the 525th Engineer Combat Battalion of the Philippine Army and 20 search and rescue operators have also been deployed, along with two inflatable rescue boats and 14 rescue boats.
He said Black Hawk helicopters are also in Legazpi and attempting to go to Naga.
‘We have a weather window of about two days for air operations in Bicol and we will try to take full advantage of all that,’ Marcos said.
Source: Philippines News agency
