FILE PHOTO: Fallen electric posts are still blocking a major road in Surigao City, Surigao del Norte province, in this photo taken on December 19, 2021, four days after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai). AFP
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to supervise the distribution of cash aid for Typhoon Odette-hit areas where government presence is limited.
During a taped command conference at the General Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, on Thursday but aired on Saturday night, Duterte explained he is involving the military, even the police, in the activity to make sure the financial assistance would reach the intended beneficiaries.
“The military and the police must come into the picture. I don’t know how bad it is here, I’ve heard — whether true or not, sometimes it comes from the humor grid — pero ‘yong hindi na masyadong nakakatuwa ang ano, mga tao na talagang… in some areas and even maybe in the province of Cebu, hirap tayo sa mobility pati sa the structure of distribution sa assistance sa mga tao,” Duterte said.
“The military and the police and all the good planners must come in, my plan is to all assets of the government must be utilized kasi alam mo, minsan makikita ng mga tao, we display our military might every now and then sa TV, makita ng mga tao, magaganda ‘yong mga eroplanong darating, maybe some would also see the situation in a different way, bakit karaming assets ng both air and sea sa gobyerno, mahina ang movement — the effort itself is a bit (slow),” he added.
According to the Chief Executive, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año can take control of the operations in typhoon-affected highly-urbanized cities while the military will focus on areas where government presence is scarce.
Duterte clarified, however, that his decision to tap military and police in the aid distribution is not fueled by any mistrust of public officials as it was just a security measure to ascertain the delivery of the aid.
“So shortcut na lang ako, the money will be distributed by the military. Si General Año will supervise ‘yong areas na kagaya nito, highly urbanized, ano naman lahat, deretso na sa… tutal from the military it would go to the LGUs. But ‘yong lugar na medyo wala masyadong presence ang gobyerno, again, it will be the military,” he said.
“Wala akong ano na suspicions about somebody of standing, but the military as I have always said, may structure kasi, in some areas na talagang wala, ‘di masyadong maganda ang setup, the military should be the one, well at least pagbigay ng local executives, pagbigay doon, paano ninyo gawin, ibigay ko na ‘yong problema sa inyo,” he explained.
Duterte admitted Thursday that it might be impossible to provide the cash aid by Saturday, Christmas Day.
“Hinahabol ko ‘yong Pasko, but hindi na madala eh,” he noted.
From December 16-18, Typhoon Odette pummeled through the northern parts of Mindanao, southern portions of Visayas, and then Palawan — leaving a trail of destruction which is being compared to Super Typhoon Yolanda’s effects in 2013.
READ: Odette: Impact on PH described as ‘catastrophic’
As of Saturday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said that 367 were reported dead due to Typhoon Odette, while 51 remain missing.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the number of people affected by the typhoon has swelled to 3,918,689 or 1,000,742 families, while 108,082 houses were totally damaged by the strongest tropical cyclone that hit the Philippines this year.
However, both NDRRMC and DSWD clarified that these numbers are still undergoing validation.