President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. personally visited the typhoon-battered island province of Catanduanes on Thursday to inspect the widespread devastation left by Super Typhoon Uwan and ensure the rapid delivery of continuing aid and rehabilitation support to affected families.
The President’s visit underscored the administration’s commitment to a swift recovery, focusing primarily on the hard-hit municipality of Caramoran, particularly Barangay Tubli. At Tubli Elementary School, the President assessed the critical damage to education infrastructure, noting that 15 out of the school’s 23 classrooms sustained major or total damage from Super Typhoon Uwan, compounding existing damage from last year’s Super Typhoon Pepito.
Recognizing the need for vital connectivity in the recovery phase, President Marcos immediately donated two Starlink internet satellite units to Tubli Elementary School and the Caramoran local government unit.
The President also inspected severely damaged coastal areas, where initial reports indicate Caramoran suffered 558 totally damaged and 2,127 partially damaged houses. In Barangay Tubli, nearly all motor bancas—a primary source of livelihood—were destroyed.
Reaffirming the administration’s resolve, the President ordered all government agencies to continue implementing a unified “whole-of-government approach” to recovery. This assistance includes the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP), which provides crucial cash aid to residents rebuilding their damaged or destroyed homes.
The concerted effort in Catanduanes reinforces the national declaration of a one-year state of calamity via Proclamation No. 1077, signed on November 5, designed to fast-track essential recovery and rehabilitation measures across all affected areas.
