Robredo arrives in Cagayan to check on flood situation

Vice President Leni Robredo arrived on Sunday in Cagayan to check on the flood situation.

“We arrived in Cagayan this morning. Our team arrived a few hours earlier with supplies,” she said on Twitter.

Robredo said some areas are still flooded but water has started receding.

“Situation is so much better. Many areas still flooded but water receded already,” she said.

In a video posted on Facebook, Robredo said she was then at the boundary of Linao Norte and Annafunan in Tuguegarao City. Most of the calls for rescue her office has received were from Linao East, she said.

"May parts pa rin na mataas pa rin ang tubig," she said. 

Robredo said in some areas, water has receded and people were in the process of cleaning up.

"Makikita natin 'yung bakas ng baha. Kaka-recede pa lang ng tubig. Parang mayroon pa siyang residue. May putik pa ang mga bahay. Naglilinis ang mga tao," she said.

Robredo also said her office called back those who requested for rescue. However many of them said they don't need rescue anymore, just food and water.

"Marami tayong tinawagan na initially nagpapa-rescue. Sabi nila hindi na sila lilikas. Karamihan nagre-request ng pagkain at tubig, kasi may mga parts na nawalan ng water at may mga parts na hindi makalabas ang mga tao," she said.

Robredo said they were on their way to an evacuation center to deliver relief goods. 

"Aside sa relief goods, may dala rin kaming mattresses," she said.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said on Saturday that floodwaters in Tuguegarao have gone down by a meter. 

The floodwaters in other towns in Cagayan were also subsiding slowly, according to disaster risk reduction and management officials. 

Rescue and relief operations continue on Sunday in Cagayan and Isabela to assist flood victims.

Both provinces have been placed under state of calamity due to the massive flooding from Typhoon Ulysses' heavy rains, aggravated by waters released by Magat Dam. —KG, GMA News