Prioritize medical assistance, PRRD orders ‘Odette’ relief teams

MANILA – Amid dwindling food, water, medicine, and other supplies in areas hit by Typhoon Odette, President Rodrigo Duterte reminded concerned agencies and local officials to ensure that evacuees’ medical needs are attended to.

Duterte issued the directive during a recent command conference with local officials and military officials at the General Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

The meeting was held Thursday but the video recording was aired on Saturday.

“’Yung evacuation centers, ‘yun ang pinakadelikado because they (Evacuation centers are risky because people there can) contaminate each other. You only need one cough — coughing person there — mag-ano na ‘yan, magkalat na ‘yan (to spread) because you crowd people and congregate them in one place,” he said.

He emphasized the need to ensure that evacuees keep their distance from each other amid the threat of new and more transmissible variants of Covid-19.

“Ang isang concern ko ‘yung health. Araw-araw man sana nandiyan. Ang ano, ‘yung making the rounds in evacuation areas para ma-ano ‘yung mga tao (One of my concerns is health. They’re always there. Make sure to make rounds in evacuation areas so) that they can be attended to with their medical needs,” he said.

Duterte also tapped the military and police to handle the distribution of financial aid and other forms of assistance to typhoon-stricken communities.

“All assets of the government must be utilized. So mag-shortcut na lang ako (So I am going to make a shortcut). The money will be distributed by the military. Si (Interior Secretary) General (Eduardo) Año will supervise ‘yung areas na kagaya dito (areas that are), highly urbanized, ano naman lahat, diretso na sa… Tutal (Anyway) from the military, it would go to the LGUs (local government units),” he said.

Assigning the task to the police and military does not mean he distrusts the local government.

“Do not think that I am not — I do not trust the local officials. But in times of disorder, kailangan talaga (there should be) even in the matter of ‘yang pag-escort ng mga truck na nagdadala ng ano, nagkakagulo kaagad ang tao eh (escorting trucks bringing aid, there is chaos). So the police must be there and the military… to see to it that the intention and the expectations of government are realized,” he said.

“May lugar kasi sa dito sa — lahat in… Iyong hindi maabot because marami pang (There are places that are difficult to reach because of) obstacles, the fallen trees and everything, movement is slowed down considerably and it is always a — how fast we can reach the people to save the situation,” he added.

Duterte admitted that he did not expect the typhoon would be as strong as predicted by the state weather bureau.

“Hindi naman natin akalain ganoon ka-ferocious ‘yung typhoon (We did not expect the typhoon to be that ferocious). We thought that it’s just another typhoon. We never expected that it would be a huge thing that would affect the country, especially — ang problema (a problem during) Christmas time. May mga tao na (There are people) suffering,” he said.

He expressed hope that much-needed assistance “could reach everybody” at the soonest possible time.

Duterte earlier assured victims that the government has raised PHP10 billion for typhoon response.

Acting Budget secretary Tina Rose Canda explained that of the amount Duterte promised as typhoon aid, PHP6 billion would come from the proposed PHP5.024 trillion national budget for 2022.

The national budget for next year is only awaiting Duterte’s signature.