Aquino visits evacuation centers

MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino visits evacuation centers from areas hit hard by the monsoon, but the people say they need more than relief goods.
Natashya Gutierrez reports.

Script below: 

JAN KERVIE NOBERYA, FLOOD VICTIM: Mahirap po tapos wala po minsan makain, naaasa lang sa relief dahil wala pong trabaho. (It’s hard here and sometimes there’s nothing to eat. We’re relying on relief because there’s no work.)

12-year-old Jan Kervie says leaving his home during heavy rain is hard, but not unusual. 
6 feet of water had submerged his home during Tropical Storm Maring.
This is his 3rd time in an evacuation center.
But this year is different — the President of the Philippines comes to visit.
President Benigno Aquino III goes to Laguna, one of 4 provinces declared under state of calamity because of the storm.
At De La Paz elementary school, 328 families or over 1,300 people seek refuge. Some have been here for over 3 days.
Aquino offers words of comfort.

BENIGNO AQUINO III, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT: Ready po ang inyong gobyerno sa kalamidad na ito, wag tayo magalala marami pa tayong resources para mabalik tayo sa maayos sa lalong madaling panahon. (Your government is ready for this calamity. Let’s not worry because we have a lot of resources to rebuild us at the soonest opportunity.)

He hands relief goods to evacuees.
Noralyn Garcia, a mother of 4, is grateful to the President.
But she wants more than just a bag of food.

NORALYN GARCIA, FLOOD VICTIM: Nagpapasalamat po kami dahil nabigyan po kami ng konting tulong. Sana nga po eh… yung mga walang bahay ay mabigyan narin yung mga binabaha yun po mabigyan po ng tulong. (We’re grateful we’ve been given a little bit of help. I hope those without homes will be given homes, and those living in flood prone areas will be given help.)

After Laguna, Aquino also visits Mandaluyong Elementary School where over 1,600 are evacuated.
They are just some of 35,000 families staying in evacuation centers nationwide, part of one million Filipinos affected by the rains and floods.

NATASHYA GUTIERREZ, REPORTING: President Aquino says the heavy downpour pushes the government more to carry out its plans and build preventive structures. With rains of this intensity happening almost yearly, the pressure is on the government to find lasting, sustainable solutions. Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler Mandaluyong.

– Rappler.com