A resident with their belongings ride on an improvised inflatable buoy made from the interior of a tire along with other residents evacuate from their flooded homes in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City, east of Manila on July 24, 2024, amid heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Carina (international name: Gaemi). | Photo by Ted Aljibe, Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines — At least 13,000 evacuees — 3,000 in Navotas City and 10,000 in Marikina — who were affected by the rains and floods due to Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon got relief goods, including food packs, from the government, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement on Friday.
“The administration of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has provided this help to people affected by this calamity. We are here to let you citizens feel and get the services of the government services,” Romualdez said in Filipino.
More areas to get assistance
He added that other government officials, including lawmakers, will visit other areas to give assistance.
“We will be going to more evacuation centers. We will bring to the victims of the habagat and Typhoon Carina help from the government, whatever part of the country they may be in. Our [resident knows the situation and he has issued a directive to help people who have been affected,” he added.
Flood-stricken Navotas, Marikina
The 3,000 food packs delivered in flood-stricken Navotas came from the Tingong party list and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Romualdez said.
In Marikina, another area severely affected by flooding, Romualdez said 10,000 residents would each receive a P5,000 cash grant through the DSWD’s Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (Akap) by the last week of July.
This is aside from the 10,000 relief packs facilitated by Romualdez’s office and the Tingog party list, led by Rep. Yedda Romualdez and Rep. Jude Acidre. The items will be given to the office of Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo.
According to Romualdez, President Marcos and the government are ware that most of the evacuated individuals in Metro Manila are Marikina residents.
“Marikina City recorded the most evacuees due to floods caused by Typhoon Carina. And it is the goal of our President Marcos Jr. to make you feel that the government is present during times of calamity,” he said.
“May the food packs and the cash aid from the AKAP — a program of the government — be of help. We are preparing this aid for you and you will receive it by next week. We sincerely sympathize with your situation right now,” he added.
Initially, Romualdez’s office and Tingog distributed hot meals to affected communities in Marikina’s Barangay Malanday and Barangay Jesus Dela Peña.
READ: Speaker’s office steps up to aid struggling Marikina folk
For the Navotas aid distribution, Romualdez was accompanied by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., who is the appropriations panel chair; Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co; Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco; and Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco.
Flood control plan needs review
The officials also inspected the damaged Tangos-Tanza Navigational Gate — which Tiangco believes could have prevented flooding in Navotas and other nearby areas.
READ: MMDA aims to fully repair Malabon-Navotas River floodgate by August
For his part, Romualdez said: “We need to reassess the plans against floods because of what has happened. We will ensure that our national budget has appropriate funding for drainage systems, pumping stations, and whatever is needed to prevent floods.”
Meanwhile, Tiangco said: “We thank President Bongbong because he was able to visit us and check on Navoteños. His presence and the immediate assistance he extended brought hope to our people. We also appreciate him personally inspecting the navigational gate and directing the public works department to implement emergency measures to address the damage.”
“Massive flooding in Navotas had become a thing of the past, especially since we surrounded our city with bombastic pumping stations. The company responsible for the damage to the navigational gate should be held accountable. We must ensure such negligence does not happen again,” he added.