Rescuers pull a rubber boat carrying residents through a flooded street after Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) affect Marikina City on November 12, 2020. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Nancy Binay urged Malacañang on Saturday to seek support from the international community to augment the government’s disaster response after a couple of high-intensity typhoons battered the Philippines in a span of two weeks.
Super Typhoon Rolly pummelled the Bicol region at the start of November while Typhoon Ulysses submerged much of Luzon including Metro Manila in torrential rains on Thursday causing massive flooding.
“Iyong sitwasyon ngayon, malinaw na di na natin ito kaya. (The situation shows that we can’t do this alone). We need to ask help from the international community not only for relief support but also necessary air assets for rescue operations,” said Binay in a statement.
“Kailangan na natin ng tulong at expertise nila to save as many lives as possible. Di na kaya ng ating LGUs (local government units), and we cannot do this on our own.”
We need to ask help from the international community not only for relief support but also necessary air assets for rescue operations. Kailangan na natin ng tulong at expertise nila to save as many lives as possible. Di na kaya ng ating LGUs, and we cannot do this on our own. pic.twitter.com/RxXPlrkyp1
— Senator Nancy Binay (@SenatorBinay) November 14, 2020
(We need their expertise to save as many lives as possible. Our LGUs can’t do this on their own, and we cannot do this on our own.)
Binay added that the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Red Cross have already exhausted their efforts in rescue operations in Bicol, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Isabela, and Cagayan, but many areas are still unreachable due to lack of rescue helicopters and roads in the area are still blocked due to landslides and floods.
She noted that the international community quickly lent its support after the onslaught of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013 with different countries sending units from their air force to support the disaster response.
“We are forced to respond to a swelling humanitarian crisis with whatever resources and assets we have,” said Binay, who also urged Foreign Affairs secretary Teddy Boy Locsin to ask the United Nations and members of the international community to lend the Philippines rescue equipment, personnel, and air assets that are critical for post-disaster operations.
With limited personnel working on the ground, Binay stressed that the LGUs, military, and non-government agencies are already struggling to deliver the needed aid to survivors.
“Isabela and Cagayan LGUs have been performing rescue operations nonstop–not to mention LGUs in Bicol, NCR, Bulacan and Pampanga. But they do not have enough equipment and manpower for the rescue,” said Binay.
“I hope the Palace and DFA ask the UN for help especially after these back-to-back-to-back tragedies have raised challenges in rural humanitarian responses in the middle of a pandemic.”