WATCH: #FerdiePH: Gov asks Duterte to help rehabilitate Batanes

BATANES, Philippines – Batanes Governor Malou Cayco on Saturday, September 17, appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to help rebuild the province which had been hard hit by Typhoon Ferdie (Meranti).

“Nakikiusap po kami (we request) for the immediate rehabilitation of all national government buildings (including) their equipment and facilities,” Cayco asked Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo to relay to the President.

Assistance from the national government will help normalize the delivery of social services in Batanes, Cayco said.

The initial estimate of the typhoon damage in the province is at P369 million, Cayco reported to the DSWD and other disaster managers and responders on Saturday.

Batanes province had been placed under a state of calamity on Thursday, September 15.

Relief goods for #FerdiePH survivors finally arrive in Basco, Batanes Saturday afternoon, Sept 17 #ReliefPH pic.twitter.com/WTuQjx8tfp

— Voltaire Tupaz (@VoltaireTupaz) September 17, 2016

Ivatan kids are all smiles as they watch responders unload relief goods from the C-130 plane #ReliefPH #FerdiePH pic.twitter.com/aI0HYfPeLj

— Voltaire Tupaz (@VoltaireTupaz) September 17, 2016

On Saturday, Taguiwalo sent a response team to Batanes led by Director Felino Castro. 

Relief goods consisting of 600 family food packs, 20,000 ready-to-eat brown rice bars, bottled water, malongs, and 3 generator sets were also airlifted to Basco town for distribution to affected areas.

Over a hundred Ivatans, mostly children, welcomed the first C130 plane that landed in Basco after Typhoon Ferdie struck the province on September 13.

“Relief goods! Relief goods! Yehey!” some children gleefully shouted from behind the airport’s perimeter fence as they watched potable water, food, and other items being brought out of the government plane. – Rappler.com