Marcos orders assistance to Aghon victims before leaving for Brunei

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday directed concerned government agencies to provide assistance to the victims of Typhoon Aghon, which lashed parts of the country over the weekend.

Speaking before departing for Brunei, Marcos specifically gave the directive to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“Tuluyan kong inatasan ang DSWD, DA, DOH para makapagbigay ng assistance sa lahat ng mga naging biktima ng Typhoon Aghon,” Marcos said before giving his departure statement at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

(I have instructed the DSWD, DA, DOH to provide assistance to all the victims of Typhoon Aghon.)

“Ang DPWH at DOTr ay kailangan susunod na diyan nasa first responder para maayos na kaagad ang mga nasira na infrastructures,” he added.

(The DPWH and DOTr must arrive after the first responders so that the damage on infrastructures can be repaired immediately.)

According to Marcos, local government units (LGUs) are the first responders and will be followed by the national government.

A P607.9-million fund is on standby in case additional budget is needed to assist the typhoon victims, Marcos said.

The President said 841 search, rescue, and retrieval teams are ready for deployment from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, and Bureau of Fire Protection.

Aside from this, 465 transportation assets and 437 emergency telecommunication equipment are also available, he said.

Six people were reported dead after the onslaught of Typhoon Aghon, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) spokesperson Edgar Posadas said on Tuesday.

According to OCD spokesperson Edgar Posadas, only one of the fatalities has been confirmed while the five others are still being verified. 

“Yung isa pong naitalang namatay sa Region 10 ay kinumpirma na po nila at naireport na po ito sa atin. Ito po ay isang 14-year-old na female. At siya po ay from Misamis Oriental at ito ay due to multiple physical injury po dahil po nabagsakan siya ng collapsed na puno,” said Posadas in an interview on Unang Balita. 

(The one recorded death in Region 10 has already been confirmed and reported to us. This is a 14-year-old female. And she is from Misamis Oriental and this is due to multiple physical injuries because she was hit by a collapsed tree.)

“Pero meron pa rin po tayong kinukumpirma na lima na biniberipika pa natin para kapag ma-confirm po, we will also report to you,” he added. 

(But we still have five reported deaths to confirm, so when it is confirmed, we will also report it.)

Eight people were also reported injured in Bicol and Northern Mindanao, according to the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The affected population was 36,143 and most of them were reported in CALABARZON with 19,180 and Bicol with 10,349.

Lucena City in Quezon has been placed under a state of calamity due to Aghon's impact, according to Posadas. Two Quezon districts may also declare a state of calamity soon.

State weather bureau PAGASA on Tuesday morning lifted all tropical cyclone wind signals as Typhoon Aghon weakened as it continued to move away from Luzon.

The typhoon was located 315 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan packing maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 160 km/h, and central pressure of 970 hPa. —KBK, GMA Integrated News