The President provide tasks to DPWH to check health facilities in Abra.
Following the magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Abra last Wednesday, President Marcos Jr. ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate hospitals and healthcare facilities first.
“Do the inspections first of the public buildings. I think your priority will be quite right is the hospital, uunahin natin even before the government buildings, ‘yung mga offices, ‘yung mga ganoon. Unahin natin ‘yung ospital,” he said during a situation briefing in Abra.
The chief executive physically examined the patients at the Abra Provincial Hospital during his visit to the province.
“Let’s go first to the hospital, let’s go first to the clinics, the healthcare centers… then we can then go look at the government buildings after which we can, puntahan na rin natin ‘yung mga bahay ng mga tao para makita kung puwede na talaga sila — safe na sila,” he added.
Department of Social Welfare and Development-Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD-CAR) reported that 2,362 homes were only slightly damaged, leaving a total of 28 homes that were completely destroyed.
The figure might potentially increase, according to DSWD-CAR Director Arnel Garcia, as the evaluation is still underway and officials have not yet checked the outlying barrios.
This came about because evacuation shelters were put up in the province's open spaces, provincial officials reported.
Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr., OIC of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology at the DOST, stated that once inspections reveal that the buildings are secure, people may return to their houses.
However, Solidum issued a warning that it's likely that aftershocks may last for a few more weeks.
Tags: #DPWH, #DWSD-CAR, #Abra, # Earthquake