President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday visited Batanes to assess the situation firsthand and provide assistance to the victims of Typhoon Julian.
“Kaya’t kami’y nandito para matignan kung ano ba talaga ‘yung inyong mga pangangailangan," said Marcos.
Marcos announced that the Office of the President (OP) will allocate P25 million in financial aid to typhoon victims, in addition to P15 million from the Office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Marcos further added that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will distribute PhP10,000 to each typhoon victim, along with 14,000 boxes of food packs and other non-food items.
The DSWD has extended PhP2.78 million in assistance to affected families, while the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) distributed 10 kilos of rice to each of the 4,000 beneficiaries.
The president pledged that the government would begin rebuilding damaged houses after the aid distribution, noting that the provincial government is already in the process of distributing housing materials.
Residents were assured that the government is working in close collaboration with the provincial government to ensure that all individuals receive the necessary assistance.
“Hangga’t may kailangan sabihan niyo lang kami,” said Marcos.
Approximately 7,088 families, comprising 21,348 individuals, were affected by Typhoon Julian in Batanes. Of these, 23 families, or 87 individuals, sought refuge in evacuation centers.
The typhoon resulted in around 196 houses being destroyed and 1,388 houses sustaining partial damage.
