Marcos conducts aerial inspection of Pepito-hit Catanduanes

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday conducted an aerial inspection of Catanduanes, which was ravaged by former Severe Tropical Storm Pepito.

In Joseph Morong’s exclusive report on 24 Oras on Monday, Marcos said the most challenging problem of the government is to help the residents rebuild their damaged homes.

Onboard the Presidential helicopter, Marcos observed the devastation left by Pepito with Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua.

The view from the air revealed a ruined landscape, particularly wrecked houses and establishments, and toppled trees.

“It shouldn’t be surprising kasi umabot ng 300 kilometers (per hour) yung gustiness. We have to rebuild and rehabilitate. Doon sa ibang lugar nakapagbigay tayo ng mga construction material, mga yero, mga dos por dos, lahat para maka-start lang. At tsaka syempre meron tayong assistance doon sa mga damaged, atsaka fully damaged houses,” Marcos said.

(It shouldn't be surprising because the gustiness reaches 300 (kph). We have to rebuild and rehabilitate. In other places, we were able to provide construction materials like roofing and plywood, everything, just to get started. And besides, of course, we have assistance on damaged, even fully damaged houses.)

Aside from the town of Panganiban where Pepito made landfall, the President also inspected the municipalities of Bagamanoc, Vica and Gigmoto.

“Tinitingnan ko yung infrastructure, hindi gaano. Usually yan dahil sa landslide, naeerode dahil malakas ang baha, pero if we look at the main roads, thoroughfares meron ding may damage, but yung sementado, nag survive naman,” Marcos said.

(There was minimal damage to infrastructure. Usually, it's because of a landslide. It eroded because of the flood, but if we look at the main roads and thoroughfares, there's also damage, but concrete structures survived.)

Despite Pepito being in the super typhoon category and making landfall in the Catanduanes, Marcos said there were no fatalities in the province since authorities conducted preemptive evacuation.

“Kung minsan lang talaga, it’s hard to convince people to leave their homes; natural instinct 'yan eh. That has always been our standard from the very beginning. I think all government officials have learned that,” Marcos said.

(There are times that people are hard to convince to leave their homes since it’s a natural instinct. That has always been our standard from the very beginning. I think all government officials have learned that.)

Down on the ground, residents face a host of challenges.

Residents are also dealing with how to fix their homes that were either damaged by the strong winds or by a landslide. Pepito also damaged many farms and plantations.

“Hindi namin alam saan kukuha ng pampagawa ng bahay. Talagang hirap na hirap po kami ngayon,” said resident Lorena Loberiano.

(We do not know where to get money to repair our home. This is a difficult time for us.)

“Baka pwede makahingi po kami pang yero. Kahit trapal matirhan man lang namin,” affected resident Rosemarie Salazar said.

(Can someone spare materials for our roof? Even just a tarpaulin so we could stay here.)

“Nananawagan po kami na kung ano man ang maitutulong nila sa bayan namin. Sana po ay mapadali nila para makarecover na rin yung mga kababayan ko,” said Bagamanoc Mayor Odilon Pascua.

(We are appealing for whatever help can be spared for our town. I hope people willing to help can help my fellow residents of Bagamanoc recover from this.)

The government said it will focus on bringing water filtration devices, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Office of Civil Defense will distribute construction materials and food.

Of 315 barangays in the island province, only 13 have electricity, with linemen from neighboring provinces being brought to help restore power.

Satellite communication equipment will also be delivered to municipalities with no cellular signal.

While in Catanduanes, the President also shared that he talked to US president-elect Donald Trump today on the phone.

Marcos said he called Trump to congratulate him on winning the election and to strengthen the Philippines-US relationship.

“I expressed to him our continuing desire to strengthen that relationship between our two countries, which is as deep as can possibly be because it has always been. I also reminded the president na ang mga Pilipino sa Amerika overwhelmingly binoto nila si Trump (Filipinos in America overwhelmingly voted for Trump),” Marcos said. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News