Basco, Batanes
October 4, 2024
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. presided over a meeting at the Provincial Capitol of Batanes to discuss the most recent situation in the Province in the aftermath of Super Typhoon ‘Julian’.
On 27 September 2024, a low-pressure area (LPA) in the east of Batanes was reported to have developed into a Tropical Depression named ‘Julian’. In the following days, it intensified into a Super Typhoon and dumped two months’ rainfall in just 24 hours.
As it weakened into a typhoon, ‘Julian’ re-entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on 3 October 2024. On the same day at 5:00 PM, it made landfall over Southern Taiwan.
During the meeting, Batanes Governor Marilou Cayco expressed her sincerest gratitude to the President for taking the time to visit Batanes, saying that it is a clear indication that the Administration always ensures that no one will be left behind in terms of progress.
The Governor, however, noted that although hard-hitting rains are never new to the Province, what hinders its rehabilitation and overall development after the onslaught of Super Typhoon ‘Julian’ are the limitations set under Republic Act No. 8991 or the Batanes Protected Area Act of 2000, which declares Batanes a protected area as a whole. The Law restricts residents from using concrete materials, such as sand or stones in rebuilding houses, prompting them to use light materials instead of what they used to.
According to the provincial assessment, around 2,324 houses in the Province were damaged by the Super Typhoon (276 totally damaged and 2,048 partially damaged). Governor Cayco further conveyed her gratitude to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for pledging to help rebuild these damaged houses.
The OCD and the Department of National Defense (DND) are coordinating the logistical arrangements to shuttle the needed construction materials in the Province, which are targeted to arrive on or before October 6.
President Marcos Jr. assured Batanes that he would talk to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on the possible amendments to the Law.
Other government interventions in the Province included the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) distribution of family food packs (FFPs), 14,000 of which were sent even before ‘Julian’ hit Batanes. Another round of 14,000 are expected to arrive in the coming days.
Also among the notable relief supplies provided by the DSWD are the family water filtration kits, of which a whole tub can accommodate 100 individuals per day.
During the meeting, President Marcos Jr. officially turned over a cheque amounting to PhP25 million to the Provincial Government of Batanes as additional assistance.
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