Leyte
10 November 2013

President Benigno S. Aquino III arrived in Tacloban City, one of the devastated cities in Leyte as super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) slammed the whole Eastern Visayas region on Friday (8 November 2013).

In a briefing with the local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC), President Aquino personally checked the latest situation on the aftermath of the super typhoon. According to local information, Yolanda devastated 90 percent of life in Tacloban City, leaving establishments, buildings, and businesses in total wreckage. He roamed around the city where most of the residents wander to gather anything they could find.

Local people demanded for basic needs such as food, water, medicines, and shelter. But the authorities find it difficult to deliver goods because roads are not yet passable and that massive clearing operations must be undertaken. Moreover, communications in the city, especially from telecommunication providers, are in need of restoration after Yolanda ruined the lines of service.

Likewise, several policemen and soldiers are in full alert after reports of looting were reported due to lack of food and water supply. But so far, there are no reports of violence. However, President Aquino assured that the whole government force is always there to assist.

As of the latest, there are a total of 709 casualties in the whole Region 8 due to Yolanda, 98 of which came from Tacloban City.

Typhoon Yolanda is said to be the strongest typhoon that hit the world with maximum sustained winds of 235 km/hour near the center and gusts of up to 275 km/hour. It made five landfalls, ravaging Eastern Samar, Leyte, northern tip of Cebu, Bantayan Islands, and Panay.

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