Bulletin No. 4 of Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail F. Valte: On the President’s activities in Zamboanga City [September 14, 2013] This morning, the President, accompanied by Secretary Roxas, Secretary Soliman, Secretary Gazmin, and Mayor Climaco, visited the Joaquin F. Enriquez Sports Complex, which had been converted into an evacuation center, in Zamboanga City. According to the DSWD report, around 44,000 persons, composed of an estimated 7,000 families, are sheltered at the evacuation center. Evacuees came from the 6 barangays infiltrated by the MNLF-Misuari faction fighters. During his visit, the President gave a short message of encouragement and support to the evacuees. Below is the transcript of the President’s statement (transcription done with the assistance of RTVM): Magandang umaga po sa lahat. Kay Mayor Climaco at mga konsehal. Kay Secretary Mar, sa mga miyembro ng gabinete, at sa inyong lahat po. Umpisa ho ng krisis, in-oorganize na po ng national government ang lahat ng kakailanganin para siguraduhing mabawasan yung pagdadaanan ninyo dito sa kaguluhang nangyayari. Ang akin hong testigo, na mula po Lunes, nandito na ho ang kalihim natin ng Interior and Local Government, at saka Secretary ng Tanggulang Pambansa. Sumama na po noong Wednesday ang ating Kalihim ng Social Welfare and Development. Marami na rin pong tao ang naapektuhan, 60,000 plus. Pero in-aassure ko po kayo na, ating araw-araw na kinakapanayam ang lahat, at tinatanong kung ang pangangailangan ay natutugunan at kung may pangangailangan pa. Lahat po ng pinapako sa ating problema, mula doon sa pagsasara ng mga bangko ay inagapan na, pati na rin po ‘yung pagkain at supply dito sa Zamboanga City, in-aassure po tayo na hindi bababa na ang kailangan ninyo ng at least two weeks. Bago po ang komusyon, nakahanda na din po ang DTI, DOTC at saka ang Department of Agriculture na siguraduhin na hindi hihinto ang pagpasok ng pagkain dito. Mula umpisa ho ng krisis, ‘yung ating DOH ay naghanda na rin, ready na ready po ang kanilang mga health center upang tugunan ang mangyayaring pinakamalagim. So mga kasama, umasa po kayo, hindi kayo nag-iisa sa mga panahong ito, at talagang nakatutok po ang inyong pamahalaan para asikasuhin ang lahat ng pangangailangan ninyo. Kaya po, makikiusap na ako sa inyo, dito po sa sports complex, tinataya pong 44,000 ang nandito. Yung pagkain na lulutuin nandiyan. Yung magluluto, medyo mahirap po talagang magluto for 44,000. Pero inaasikaso na po iyon nang hati-hati, ginagawa na po nating complete set para hindi po magkaroon ng pahirapan. Pakiusap ko lang po: mabigat po ang trabahong ginagawa natin ngayon; kung may kooperasyon po tayo, mapapagaan ang dalahin ng bawat isa. Pinapakiusap ko po nang matindi, huwag ho kayong mag-alala; dahil hindi kayo pababayaan, hindi mangyayari iyon. Mayroon pa tayong maaasahan sa isa’t isa para mapabilis ang pagtulong sa bawat isa. Puwede po ba yun? Kayo ho ba’y maaasahan diyan? Salamat po, salamat sa inyong lahat. So, ako po ay mag-iikot-ikot ulit sa buong Zamboanga. Ito pong problema natin ay pahupa nang pahupa. Magkakaroon pa rin po talaga ng bakbakan, pero hindi po sila nagtagumpay sa kanilang maitim na balak. At sinasabi ko po sa inyo: pabago nang pabago, mayroong from time to time, pabawas nang pabawas ang posibilidad na gumawa ng kaguluhan dito sa Zamboanga City; at tatapusin natin ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Muli, magandang umaga po sa lahat. Magtulungan po tayo; malalampasan natin ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Below is the English version of the statement: Good morning, everyone. Mayor Climaco, the councilors, Secretary Mar, Cabinet members, everyone, good morning. Since the start of the crisis, the government has been organized to ensure that we can ease what you’re going through because of this crisis. Our Secretaries of the Interior and Local Government, of National Defense, along with the Secretary for Social Welfare and Development, who joined last Wednesday, have served as my eyes and ears. Many have been affected, with estimates running up to more than 60,000. I assure you that we are getting inputs from everyone on a daily basis; we are asking them if their needs are being met, and if there is anything else we can offer. All the problems that have beset us, from the closing of banks to other concerns, have been addressed immediately. We have been assured that the food and other supplies here in Zamboanga City will last at least two weeks. Even before a commotion takes place, the DTI, the DOTC, and our Department of Agriculture are prepared to ensure that there will be a continuous supply of food here. From the beginning of the crisis, our own DOH has also been prepared—their health centers are ready to respond to even the worst cases. So I hope that you will not give up and that you will keep the faith; you are not alone in these times, and your government is truly focused on ensuring that all your needs are met. This is why, I must ask for your patience: here in the sports complex, there is an estimated 44,000 evacuees. The food that has to be cooked for all of you is here. As for the cooks—well, it is difficult to cook for 44,000. But we are working on this and dividing the labor. We are making complete sets so that it will not be difficult for anyone. Again, I ask for your patience: our work here is not easy, but if everyone cooperates, the burden that each one of us carries will be lessened. I strongly appeal to all of you: Do not worry. We have your back. That will not happen. We have certain things we expect of one another so that we can help each other more efficiently. Is that possible? Can we count on you? Thank you. Thank you to all of you. What I will do now is go around the entirety of Zamboanga. This problem of ours is getting closer to resolution. True, there will still be skirmishes, but they did not succeed in their grim intentions. And I am telling you: Things are changing. From time to time… we are progressively reducing the possibility of wreaking havoc here in Zamboanga City, and we will end this in the soonest possible time. Again, good morning to all of you. Let us help each other. We will get through this soon.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 06:36:04 +0000
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