(Manila, 24th) — Philippine President Marcos has ordered the mobilization of relevant government agencies to accelerate rescue, disaster relief, and flood prevention efforts in response to the recent severe flooding caused by consecutive monsoon rains and tropical cyclones affecting multiple regions across the country.
According to Presidential Press Secretary Claire Castro at a virtual press conference on the 23rd, President Marcos presided over a disaster briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council held in Camp Aguinaldo and implemented a series of emergency deployments, instructing all relevant units to give their utmost effort to minimize the impacts of extreme weather.
President Marcos instructed the Armed Forces, National Police, Coast Guard, and the Fire Bureau to immediately dispatch search and rescue as well as retrieval teams to severely affected areas to assist residents in evacuation and rescue efforts.
He also tasked the Department of Social Welfare and Development to expedite the distribution of family food packs and various daily necessities, ensuring assistance is provided at every stage before, during, and after the disaster.
The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority are responsible for road clearing operations to restore main thoroughfares as quickly as possible.
At the same time, the President requested ongoing flood prevention efforts, instructing all pumping stations and floodgates to be fully activated and for blocked waterways to be cleared in order to reduce the risk of flooding.
Castro added that the President has tasked the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority to jointly update the master plan for flood prevention and drainage systems, covering Metro Manila, 18 major river basins nationwide, and other disaster-prone areas, to improve long-term disaster prevention capabilities.
Regarding supplies, the President also ordered the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry to strengthen market monitoring, strictly prevent hoarding and price manipulation in disaster-stricken areas, especially in provinces declared under a state of calamity, and ensure stable supplies of food and daily necessities.
"President Marcos emphasized that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry are closely monitoring to ensure that there is sufficient supply of food and daily necessities in the market," Castro said.
In addition, the President called on the public to cooperate with disaster bulletins issued by local governments, take appropriate preventive measures, and guard against common monsoon season infectious diseases, including leptospirosis and dengue fever.
Due to the effects of Typhoon "Aghon," Tropical Storm "Dante," and the enhanced southwest monsoon ("Habagat"), most parts of Luzon and some areas of Visayas have been hit by continuous heavy rains in recent days, with large regions still submerged in floodwaters and the disaster situation remaining severe.
According to Presidential Press Secretary Claire Castro at a virtual press conference on the 23rd, President Marcos presided over a disaster briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council held in Camp Aguinaldo and implemented a series of emergency deployments, instructing all relevant units to give their utmost effort to minimize the impacts of extreme weather.
President Marcos instructed the Armed Forces, National Police, Coast Guard, and the Fire Bureau to immediately dispatch search and rescue as well as retrieval teams to severely affected areas to assist residents in evacuation and rescue efforts.
He also tasked the Department of Social Welfare and Development to expedite the distribution of family food packs and various daily necessities, ensuring assistance is provided at every stage before, during, and after the disaster.
The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority are responsible for road clearing operations to restore main thoroughfares as quickly as possible.
At the same time, the President requested ongoing flood prevention efforts, instructing all pumping stations and floodgates to be fully activated and for blocked waterways to be cleared in order to reduce the risk of flooding.
Castro added that the President has tasked the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Metro Manila Development Authority to jointly update the master plan for flood prevention and drainage systems, covering Metro Manila, 18 major river basins nationwide, and other disaster-prone areas, to improve long-term disaster prevention capabilities.
Regarding supplies, the President also ordered the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry to strengthen market monitoring, strictly prevent hoarding and price manipulation in disaster-stricken areas, especially in provinces declared under a state of calamity, and ensure stable supplies of food and daily necessities.
"President Marcos emphasized that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry are closely monitoring to ensure that there is sufficient supply of food and daily necessities in the market," Castro said.
In addition, the President called on the public to cooperate with disaster bulletins issued by local governments, take appropriate preventive measures, and guard against common monsoon season infectious diseases, including leptospirosis and dengue fever.
Due to the effects of Typhoon "Aghon," Tropical Storm "Dante," and the enhanced southwest monsoon ("Habagat"), most parts of Luzon and some areas of Visayas have been hit by continuous heavy rains in recent days, with large regions still submerged in floodwaters and the disaster situation remaining severe.