President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to immediately start rehabilitating damaged roads to allow the continuous delivery of aid to areas affected by Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong), according to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro.
The directive came after Marcos held a situation briefing with government agencies on the impact of Uwan, which weakened from a super typhoon to a typhoon early Monday.
‘According to government data, 71 roads remain impassable due to the typhoon’s impact, including those in Central Luzon and the Cordillera Administrative Region, particularly in Mountain Province, Benguet, and Apayao. Some roads in Aurora are also still closed,’ Castro said in Filipino.
On Monday, Dizon inspected the condition of drainages, waterways, and flood control projects in Navotas City-one of Metro Manila’s most flood-prone areas. He also visited the Sunog Apog Pumping Station in Tondo, Manila.
Marcos also directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to sustain the distribution of aid to residents affected by the typhoon.
‘According to the DSWD, it continues to monitor evacuation operations and the status of evacuees. The Bicol Region recorded the highest number of evacuees, with 100,050 families affected,’ Castro said in Filipino.
In Camarines Sur and Quezon provinces, at least 44,000 and 20,000 families, respectively, were displaced by the storm.
‘Evacuees are expected to return to their homes soon as floodwaters continue to recede,’ Castro said.
Marcos also instructed Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to ensure that sufficient medical teams are on standby at all evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, in a social media post, Marcos expressed his gratitude to first responders for their swift and dedicated service.
‘I want to thank our local governments, first responders, and volunteers for acting quickly and working together to keep our people safe. The preemptive evacuations you carried out made all the difference. Your prompt action is very significant,’ he said.