President Rodrigo Duterte promised Cagayan residents that the government would provide them food and water until the time that the province returns to normalcy in the wake of Typhoon Ulysses.
Duterte said government would “do everything to return to normalcy” the soonest possible time.
“Ang atin ngayong gawin, we will do everything to return to normalcy. In the meantime, ang problema talaga sa sunog o baha is clean water, potable water. Kung wala, we will send them to you, even if we have to travel overnight. Ang una actually is food, yun ang pag-aralan ko, ng local officials,” he said in a briefing held in Cagayan.
Duterte also ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to look into the possibility of stopping illegal mining in the area.
“If the possibility is not there for them to stop, at least Cimatu should devise a way so they can place mga bahay nila (their houses) above the rolling stones,” he said.
Duterte also urged Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba to convince residents “to move to a place that is not prone to flooding.” Housing Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said the agency has yet to assess damage as houses remain submerged in floodwaters.
