President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. committed the national government’s complete and sustained support for the people of Cebu, following the widespread devastation caused by Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi).
After a situation briefing at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, President Marcos assured local leaders and affected residents that the national government will remain on the ground until all families are back on their feet.
“As long as the national government is needed, we will be here. We are not leaving,” President Marcos stated emphatically.
The President expressed profound sorrow over the loss of life and outlined the government’s multi-pronged relief and recovery plan:
- Financial Assistance: The government is providing financial aid to help families immediately start rebuilding their homes.
- P5,000Β will be extended for partially damaged houses.
- P10,000Β will be provided for completely damaged houses.
- “We will help them to recover, put them back on their feet and do what we can to make up for the loss that they have suffered,” the President added.
- On-the-Ground Assessment: Before the briefing, the Chief Executive visited the Municipality of Liloan and the City of Talisay to personally oversee the distribution of essential needs, including food and water, being conducted by various government agencies.
- Health and Safety: Medical teams have been deployed to evacuation centers to treat injuries and proactively prevent potential disease outbreaks.
The President noted that the primary damage across Cebu stemmed from severe flooding and not strong winds, observing that existing flood control structures were overwhelmed and damaged by the massive volume of rainfall.
Looking ahead, President Marcos discussed critical long-term measures:
- Relocation Plans: Coordination with Local Government Units (LGUs) is actively underway to identify safe relocation sites and provide temporary shelters for families currently living in high-risk, “no-build” zones.
- Continued Vigilance: The President reminded local officials to maintain high levels of preparedness and caution, even as the next weather disturbance, Severe Tropical Storm Fung-wong (to be named ‘Uwan’ locally), is not currently expected to directly affect the Visayas region.
President Marcos concluded his message by reaffirming the government’s unwavering commitment to the full restoration of the province.
