PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday vowed continuous aid to communities affected by Super Typhoon Fung-wong, locally named Uwan, underscoring the need for government services to continue despite successive natural disasters.
He convened Cabinet members and local officials following an inspection for a situation briefing to coordinate ongoing relief and rehabilitation measures, a statement from his office said.
The government has begun distributing emergency cash transfers worth P10,263 each, along with family, hygiene and kitchen kits to 141 families whose homes were completely destroyed.
He also visited the Cararayan-Naga Elementary School in Tiwi in the province of Albay, where he spoke with students attending morning classes under a temporary shifting schedule.
The school is accommodating 157 displaced learners out of its 917 enrolled students, according to local education officials.
The Department of Education (DepEd) distributed learning materials during the visit, while the Office of the President donated two Starlink internet units — one to Cararayan-Naga Elementary School and another to Tiwi Central School — to help restore connectivity.
Seven classrooms at Cararayan-Naga suffered major damage amounting to about P3.5 million, and eight others sustained minor damage estimated at P392,000, DepEd Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Bernie C. Despabiladero said.
Three water and sanitation facilities were destroyed, alongside 200 learning resources and 50 desks.
Mr. Despabiladero said the school has already received aid from various agencies, including learner kits from DepEd Albay, psychological first aid, Starlink connectivity from the Department of Information and Communications Technology and cleanup support from the Department of Public Works and Highways and local governments.
Uwan caused more than P4 billion in combined agriculture and infrastructure losses, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Monday, with crop damage alone reaching P1.79 billion and infrastructure losses at P2.27 billion. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
