Marcos orders national response as NCR, Central Luzon floods persist

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will meet with key government agencies on Monday to assess the impact of severe flooding in Central Luzon and Metro Manila, as Malacañang assured residents still submerged in floodwaters that government assistance would continue.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said Marcos would convene officials from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for a “Central Luzon and Metro Manila Response Meeting.”

According to Castro, the meeting, scheduled for 4 p.m. in Malacañang, will focus on updates from flood-hit areas and additional measures needed to address the immediate needs of affected residents in the two regions.

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Castro said Marcos had spent the past week overseeing the government’s response to flooding caused by continuous rains brought by the southwest monsoon.

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On Monday last week, Marcos visited Bulacan and Pampanga, where he inspected affected communities and held situation briefings with local officials. He also provided financial assistance to affected regions and municipalities.

READ: 600 Bulacan residents stage rally against floods

During the briefings, Marcos directed Cabinet officials to ensure sufficient supplies of food, nonfood items, and medicines and to improve evacuation centers.

He also ordered officials to immediately work on short- and long-term solutions to flooding in Pampanga and Bulacan.

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Marcos also directed DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon and Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos to visit Hagonoy and Paombong in Bulacan to personally assess the situation there.

During the visit, the two Cabinet officials found that substandard flood control projects in Bulacan had failed to protect communities from flooding.

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Castro said Marcos continued to monitor weather conditions as heavy monsoon rains returned on Friday and Saturday, leaving many parts of Luzon, particularly Central Luzon and the National Capital Region, submerged in floodwaters.

Castro said Cabinet officials regularly updated the president on the situation in affected communities, including damage to roads and bridges.

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Marcos also ordered officials to ensure that residents in flood-hit areas had adequate food and nonfood supplies.

“In these kinds of situations, the president does not need to issue another order to these Cabinet members because they already know what the President wants: quick action,” Castro said.

Castro urged residents in flood-prone areas to remain vigilant and follow the advice of authorities.

“If evacuation is necessary, please evacuate immediately for your safety,” she said.

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She also assured affected residents that government assistance would be available, including food and nonfood kits such as hygiene, sleeping, clothing and kitchen kits. /mcm