QUEZON CITY, Feb. 14 – Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael ‘Mike’ D. Sueno encourages local government units (LGUs) and citizens affected by the Surigao earthquake to stay strong as the government is exhausting all efforts to aid victims of the 6.7 magnitude quake last Friday.
Sueno said that the Department and other government agencies are working round-the-clock to extend all necessary assistance as the Surigao quake affected around 1,685 families in several barangays of the province and left more than PHP 735-M worth of damages to public facilities and infrastructure.
“Be strong, Surigao del Norte. We will not forsake you. The national government will be with you every step of the way until you rise up from the rubbles,” he said.
Sueno said that the DILG has deployed a total of 169 Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel to conduct disaster operations and provide assistance in Surigao City. Of the 169 deployed PNP personnel, 85 came from the Surigao City Police Station, 45 from the Provincial Public Safety Company, 14 from the Regional Public Safety Battalion, and 25 from the Surigao del Norte Provincial Police Office.
He said PNP personnel from the provincial, city and municipal police stations are also conducting an onsite assessment of the effects of the earthquake and providing security to damaged structures.
The DILG Secretary said Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel were also mobilized to assist in the relief operations and to help in the monitoring operations at the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (RDDRRM) Operations Center. A steel truck from the BFP regional office was also sent to the RDRRM Center for the storage of drinking water for the victims.
Sueno also said that he is relieved that other LGUs which were not directly affected by the quake gave a helping hand to Surigao del Norte. These are the Provincial DRRMC of Dinagat Islands which sent a search and rescue team, the PDRRMC of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur which extended transportation services for response operations.
“In times like this, the Bayanihan spirit is really at work as others who were fortunate enough not to be affected by the quake are sharing their time and resources to Surigao del Norte,” he said.
On Sunday, DILG Undersecretary Catalino S. Cuy, who was delegated by Sueno to accompany President Rodrigo R. Duterte, braved a 16-hour drive going to and back from Surigao City to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts in the province and pledged PHP2-billion in assistance.
According to reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Magnitude 6.7 Surigao earthquake claimed 8 lives and injured 218 others. (DILG)