President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s has sent out his two two top aides in Davao to personally check on calamity-hit areas in the Davao Region.
Special Assistant to the President Antonio Ernesto Lagdameo Jr., and Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, on Wednesday vowed to help Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, and Davao Oriental after the provinces incurred massive damages due to the incessant rains brought about by the shear line weather system last week.
Lagdameo and Magno met with Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental governors together with representatives from Davao del Norte provincial government to assess the extent of the damage of the shear line and address the needs of the affected provinces.
Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga and Davao Oriental Governor Niño Uy expressed concerns about their infrastructures being destroyed by the recent flooding.
Lagdameo assured them that he would directly talk to Department of Public Work and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan to fast-track the infrastructure rehabilitation in Davao Region.
Lagdameo said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed him to coordinate with the provinces and fix the problems as soon as possible.
Magno stressed that he would continue to coordinate with the governors and provide information to Lagdameo to address the concerns of the provinces.
Gonzaga said that she is happy that their needs are addressed directly by the President through the recent meeting.
She added that it is a rare opportunity for Lagdameo to personally come to them to address their concerns.
On his end, Uy expressed thanks to the President for sending Lagdameo.
“It is a very challenging and trying time for us but the President is readily giving us assistance and direction,” Uy said.
An estimate of 134,879 families or 606,483 residents in Davao Region were affected by the week-long shear line rains while damage to infrastructures is estimated to reach P26 million and P68 million in crops.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) has recorded a total of P145,435,917 worth of agricultural damages from the recent floods due to shear line rains in the Davao Region.
Joedel R. Leliza, Regional Reduction Risk Focal of DA 11, reported that the shear line affected a total of 6,352 farmers and 7,958.38 hectares of farmlands in the region.
