Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro
November 14, 2024

“Sa kabila ng hirap at hamon na dulot ng bagyong Kristine at Leon, muling ipinakita ng ating mga kababayan ang diwa ng bayanihan at pagkakaisa… Ang inyong lakas sa kabila ng ganitong hirap ay nagbibigay sa amin ng determinasyon upang patuloy na kayo’y silbihan nang [buong] puso,” conveyed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as he expresses his profound respect and admiration to the Filipino spirit of ‘bayanihan’ and the strength to rise above challenges when he led the ceremonial distribution of Presidential assistance in the Province of Oriental Mindoro.

Oriental Mindoro was among the provinces in Luzon battered by Severe Tropical Storm (STS) ‘Kristine.’

During the event, the President extended PhP10,000 assistance to around 4,546 farmers and fisherfolk whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by STS ‘Kristine’ and the typhoons that followed.

“Mga kababayan, ang pamamahagi ng tulong na ito ay tanda ng ating panata sa isa’t isa — na kahit anong mangyari, tayo ay laging magtutulungan… Makakaasa kayo na ang pamahalaan ay narito para matulungan kayo na makabangon sa mga ganitong pagsubok,” he said in his remarks.

The Chief Executive stressed that while no one can ever stop calamities from happening in the Philippines, actions can be undertaken to mitigate their impact. He tasked several government agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to further encourage local government units (LGUs) to utilize the DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) geohazard maps which would help identify landslide and flood-prone areas.

He likewise called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other concerned agencies and LGUs to conduct a thorough inspection of infrastructures such as roads and bridges and assess their capacity to withstand changing weather conditions.

“May mga flood control tayo pero dahil sa mas madaming tubig na dulot ng pag-ulan, hindi na nakakayanan. Kaya inatasan ko na rin ang DPWH, DENR at iba pang ahensya na rebisahin ang Flood Control Masterplan upang makasabay sa patuloy na paglakas ng mga bagyo,” he added.

“Sabay-sabay tayo na lumaban at magsumikap para mas maayos ang ating kinabukasan…. Ang ating diwa ng bayanihan ay magsisilbing liwanag na magpapakita ng daan tungo sa pagbangon at kaunlaran — para sa inyong probinsya at para sa isang Bagong Pilipinas,” President Marcos Jr. concluded in his message.

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