Cebu: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced that evacuation 'tent cities' are being established in Cebu to provide shelter for residents displaced by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit the province on September 30. The initiative is being implemented with assistance from Dick Gordon and the Red Cross, as highlighted in the fifth episode of Marcos' 'Bagong Pilipinas Podcast,' released Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the President had previously called for the swift creation of temporary shelters to house families whose homes were either destroyed or deemed unsafe due to the earthquake's impact. The national government has allocated PHP375 million for response and relief efforts in Cebu, with PHP150 million distributed through the Local Government Support Fund and PHP75 million specifically designated for Bogo City, one of the most severely affected areas.
Recent reports confirm that 72 people have died, and approximately 450,000 individuals have been impacted, necessitating the provision of food packs, potable water, medical services, and shelter assistance by government and humanitarian agencies. Marcos underscored the necessity of a rapid and sustained disaster response, emphasizing that aid must persist until the situation in affected communities stabilizes.
"In government, the best that we can do is really to be prepared, as prepared as we can possibly be, and move very, very quickly," Marcos stated. He emphasized that his response strategy is centered on the needs of families and children in disaster-stricken areas, urging immediate action over delayed responses.
Marcos also warned against losing public focus once media coverage diminishes. He reiterated that communities continue to endure hardship long after the news cycles move on. "The challenge with almost all disasters, especially globally, is that the moment they get shunted out of the headlines or the news, what's happening there, and that there are people still suffering, still trying to recover," Marcos explained. He assured that the government would remain committed to the recovery efforts in both Masbate and Cebu until a stable condition is achieved for all affected individuals.
