Motorists deal with low visibility along EDSA-Guadalupe on July 24, 2024 as the typhoon Carina-enhanced habagat batters Metro Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered local government units to focus disaster response efforts on areas that have been isolated due to the onslaught of Typhoon Carina. 

This, after the Office of Civil Defense reported that 96 roads and 13 bridges were affected by the effects of Typhoon Carina. 

“Kaunti lang ang instructions na binigay ko sa grupo dahil maganda naman ang response natin so far,” Marcos Jr. told reporters after a situation briefing at the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). 

Metro Manila declares state of calamity due to Typhoon Carina 

“Sinabihan ko sila na magfocus ng mabuti sa mga areas na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa natin napapasok,” he said. 

“Yun ang magiging next na priority na gagawin ng DSWD pati na Public Works kasi kung yung mga daan ay na-landslide, kailangan magtulungan sila ng LGU (local government unit) para i-clear yung daan,” he said. 

Before noon, some 96 roads, 13 bridges and 11 seaports have already been affected by the heavy rain and floods brought by Typhoon Carina, according to data from the OCD. 

So far, damage to agriculture is pegged at P9.70 million, while damage to infrastructure is at P700,000, data showed. 

Meantime, Marcos Jr. noted that local government units have the prerogative on whether or not their areas should be placed under a state of calamity. 

Typhoon Carina intensifies anew; signal no. 2 still up in Batanes  

“Kapag ang calamity ay 3 regions ang involved, then the national already has to come in. That’s a national calamity already,” the President said. 

“It is up to the local communities to decide because they know best what they need,” he said. 

The national government is now “working on” measures making sure that funds will be available should some local governments deplete their emergency funds, he said.

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