Gov’t agencies lauded for quake aid

SAN FRANCISCO, California — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday (US time) expressed confidence in the government's ability to respond to the aftermath of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Saranggani province.

In an interview with reporters, Marcos said he had been monitoring the situation closely and receiving regular updates from government agencies.

"I'm happy to be able to say that the government agencies do not need directives from me anymore; they know what to do," he said.

He commended the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other agencies for their prompt and effective response to the earthquake.

"The initial reports indicated a 6.8-earthquake in Saranggani, which is quite powerful. However, as of now, I believe we have reported two casualties. The damage to infrastructure and buildings is as expected. Still, fortunately, it's actually less than what we feared it would be," Marcos said.

He added: "They know what to do. We tried to organize the government so that these are standard operating procedures already. You don't have to question what to do next, everything is written down.”

Vice President Sara Duterte attended the response cluster meeting of the NDRRMC called by its chairperson, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

The Department of Education, which she heads, is a cluster member.

"As public servants, we will continue to focus on expanding our capabilities to provide immediate relief and rehabilitation to the affected areas, not only now, but also in other disasters that may come in the future," Duterte said.