Marcos on gov't response to Kristine: It's never enough, I wish we could do more

''It's never enough. I wish we could do more.''

This was the response of President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. when asked if he was satisfied with how the government responded amid the effects of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).

More than a hundred were killed due to Kristine's onslaught, government data has shown.

''I'll tell you the truth, it's never enough... It's never enough. I wish we could do more... We're doing everything that we can. When you lose a life, you lose a life... What can you do about it?'' Marcos said.

''It's [a] terrible tragedy,'' Marcos added.

Weeks ago, Kristine battered the entire Luzon, particularly the Bicol Region as well as the provinces of Batangas and Cavite.

Marcos earlier visited Naga City in Camarines Sur to personally check the condition of the residents, particularly those who were forced to stay in the city hall.

The downpour, which brought massive floods and landslides, prompted several local government units to place their areas under state of calamity. A total of 207 towns and 29 cities in 14 provinces have declared a state of calamity due to the effects of Kristine as well as tropical cyclone Leon.

Among those areas were the entire provinces of Albay, Batangas, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Sorsogon.

The declaration of a state of calamity allows the release of calamity funds to address the needs of its constituency. Moreover, price controls on basic goods are also expected in the affected areas.

On Sunday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Kristine and Leon affected a total of 2,200,731 families or 8,630,663 persons. The affected populations were situated in 12,053 barangays.

The NDRRMC said that the death toll remained at 146, with 126 still for validation. Meanwhile, 130 were injured, of whom 120 are being validated.

A total of 750,196 families or 34.63% of families affected have already been assisted by the government. Local government units and regional agencies were given assistance worth P2,549,371.31.

Marcos had declared November 4, 2024 as a Day of National Mourning for the victims of heavy rains, flooding, and strong winds brought by Kristine.

On Monday morning, the president visited the ground zero in Barangay Sampaloc in Talisay, Batangas, wherein a village was hard hit by Kristine.

A Holy Mass was also held and offered for the victims.

Assistance

The Office of the President on Monday also provided P60 million to the municipalities in Batangas that were affected by Kristine.

The municipalities of Talisay, Agoncillo, Lemery, Cuenca, Laurel and Balete received P10 million each.

''Mula sa Tanggapan ng Pangulo, magkakaloob tayo ng 60 milyong piso na tulong na ipapamahagi ng DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development] para sa mga munisipalidad ng Batangas, kasama na rito ang Talisay, na lubhang naapektuhan ng Bagyong Kristine,'' Marcos said in his speech there.

(From the Office of the President, we will provide P60 million worth of assistance, which will be distributed by the DSWD, for the municipalities in Batangas, including Talisay, that are hard hit by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.)

The President also handed over financial aid to 10 select beneficiaries from the municipalities of Talisay and Agoncillo.

Further, Marcos witnessed the turnover of 159 housing kits, valued at P6 million from the Metrobank Foundation and donated through the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Each family received home materials and essentials packages, composed of GI roofs, marine plywood, lumbers and nails for the repair of damaged homes.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said that upon receiving the report from DHSUD Regional Office on Kristine's effects to residential structures in Batangas province, the agency immediately deployed teams to coordinate with local chief executives and gather data on the number of affected and displaced families.

“This is DHSUD’s contribution to the President's call for a conveyor belt of aid for typhoon victims. We will exhaust all available resources to extend assistance to our kababayans,” Acuzar said in a separate press release.

Acuzar also instructed DHSUD Regional Office 4A to regularly monitor the situation to ensure that all families, particularly those with damaged houses, will be given aid.

The Presidential Communications Office said that Batangas had the highest number of fatalities at 61, most of whom perished due to landslides and drowning. — RSJ/KG, GMA Integrated News