President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to procure trapal or tarpaulin sheets to serve as temporary shelters for those affected by Typhoon Odette.
"Bili ka ng trapal, the appropriate size for a family of … good for six people. Kasi ang trapal would protect the people from the cold," he instructed DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista in his Talk to the People.
(Buy tarpaulin sheets that are good for six people. Because the sheets would protect people from the cold.)
The president told the department to buy the tarpaulin sheets within 48 hours if possible.
Meanwhile, he also said that the fallen coconut trees in Siargao can be used as lumber for the residents there.
"Maraming niyog dito sa Siargao almost tumba lahat yung coconut trees," Duterte said.
(There are a lot of coconut in Siargao. Almost all of the coconut tree fell down.)
"Kung sino yung may-ari ng mga lands that planted the coconut tapos natumba. Ibigay mo na lang sa kapwa tao mo," he added.
(Whoever owns the lands where the coconut trees were planted and fell, just give it to your fellow Filipinos.)
According to the president, while the material is not advisable for lumber, it could still be used as temporary material until housing can be provided to victims of Typhoon Odette.
He even suggested painting the coconut-made lumber black to prevent deterioration.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Monday that Typhoon Odette has caused a destruction worth more than P28 million to 506,404 houses, over P16 billion worth of damage to 276 infrastructures, and P5 billion worth of damage to agriculture.
