Marcos to release P25M aid for Batanes amid Julian's onslaught

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Friday that his office would provide P25 million to the provincial government of Batanes to help in its recovery following the onslaught of Typhoon Julian.

Marcos visited the province of Batanes to oversee the distribution of assistance to residents at the Oval Plaza in the Municipality of Basco. He said the government officials also wanted to determine the immediate needs of affected residents.

''Ang Office of the President naman ay magrerelease kami ng P25 million para sa inyo,'' Marcos said.

He said the office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez would also extend P15 million to assist the affected residents.

For its part, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it will release P10,000 for each typhoon victim. They will also distribute 14,000 boxes of food packs and other non-food items.

The DSWD said it already provided P2.78 million worth of assistance to affected families, while the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) gave 10 kilos of rice to each of the 4,000 beneficiaries.

Marcos, meanwhile, guaranteed that the government would start rebuilding the damaged houses in the province as the provincial government already started the distribution of housing materials.

The provincial government also provided 800 pieces of galvanized iron sheets and 800 pieces of lumber to typhoon victims.

The province of Batanes declared a state of calamity in the wake of Typhoon Julian. Public utilities and services such as water, electricity and lines of communication were still limited in the province.

--VAL, GMA Integrated News