Duterte orders DOE to restore power supply in Odette-hit areas

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the Department of Energy to revive electricity supply in areas ravaged by Typhoon Odette (Rai),  Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Sunday.

Nograles said some areas, particularly Dinagat Islands, still do not have electricity.

"Number one, ipa-address agad sa Department of Energy (DOE) ang problema sa kuryente nu'ng mga walang kuryente," Nograles said in an interview over Super Radyo dzBB, when asked about Duterte's directives after a visit in Bohol.

First of all, the President orders the DOE to address the power supply problem in areas badly hit by the typhoon.]

Further, Nograles said Duterte also ordered the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to install very small aperture terminal (VSAT) equipment to Siargao as well as satellite phones to ensure coordination with the Office of the Civil Defense for calamity response.

"In fact, yung DICT may have an emergency cooperation system... at ide-deploy na sa Siargao. (In fact, DICT has an emergency cooperation system... which will be deployed in Siargao)," said Nograles.

Community tents, fishing boats

As some evacuation centers were compromised, Nograles said the government will provide community tents at Dinagat Islands, where most evacuation sites were damaged.

"So yung mga community tents para sa mga nasirang evacuation sites natin, magpapadala ang gobyerno do'n, (The government will deliver community tents to replace damaged evacuation sites)," said Nograles.

Duterte also directed the Department of Agriculture to address the needs of fisherfolk whose boats were destroyed by Odette, said Nograles.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolly Bautista with the assistance of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Ricardo Jalad were also designated as crisis managers for Odette-hit areas, Nograles added.

In a separate statement, Nograles said the President authorized the use of government assets to ensure relief goods are delivered immediately.

"Having said this, the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard will send their boats and ships to augment the immediate delivery of needed supplies, equipment and food in Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands," he said.

"Also, the BRP Ang Pangulo will likewise be sent to Dinagat Islands and Siargao to act as floating hospital as the typhoon damaged the hospitals in these areas and medical personnel need augmentation to treat the injured and those with medical needs," Nograles added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines Eastern Mindanao Command is committed to send medical personnel through two Navy ships for Siargao and Dinagat Islands.

Also, the Department of Health will send medical supplies and health frontline workers in Dinagat Islands, Nograles added.

Nograles also noted that the  Maritime Industry Authority will assess the seaworthiness of vessels in Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands to give more way of delivery of food and supplies to these areas.

Likewise, Nograles pointed out that National Housing Authority and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will provide "necessary assistance to affected families who lost their houses or got their houses damaged."

Odette left 31 people dead, three people hurt, and one person missing after it ravaged Visayas and Mindanao areas, data from NDRRMC show.  —LBG, GMA News