Palace assures Masbate quake victims help is coming; Duterte visit possible

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang assured the nation on Tuesday that assistance will be given to victims of the magnitude 6.6 quake that struck Masbate, adding that President Rodrigo Duterte “surely” wants to visit the affected areas.

The earthquake was felt in several provinces in Bicol, in the Visayas, and even in the province of Quezon.

“Alam niyo po ang mga Pilipino dahil nga sa dami ng mga bagyo at lindol at pagputok ng bulkan na nangyayari sa atin, laging handa na tayo,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

(With the number of typhoons, earthquakes, and volcano eruptions that Filipinos have experienced, we’re now always ready.)

“Pagdating po sa ayuda, ‘wag po kayo mag-alala, yung mga pagkain, yung mga blankets, yung mga resettlement areas, lahat po yan ay nakapreposition na po yan at sanay na sanay na po tayo magbigay ng ganyang tulong sa ating mga kababayan,” Roque added.

(When it comes to aid, don’t worry, food, blankets and resettlement areas are all prepositioned and we are already used to providing these kinds of help to our countrymen.)

Asked if Duterte will visit the areas affected by the quake, Roque said the President “surely” wants to go but it will still depend on his security arrangements.

“Kung pupunta si Presidente, siguradong sigurado ako na gusto ni Presidenteng pupumunta. Siguro po makikipag away pa yan sa PSG [Presidential Security Group] kung siya’y pipigilan,” Roque said.

(On whether the President will go there, the President surely wants to go. Maybe he will even fight the PSG if they will prevent him.)

“Instinctively, ang Presidente gusto nang lumipad papuntang Masbate. Pero whether or not he will be allowed, tignan po natin,” he went on.

(Instinctively, the President wants to fly to Masbate. But we’ll see whether or not he will be allowed.)

The earthquake left one person dead — a retired police officer who was buried by his collapsed house.

/MUF