Looting Erupts In Siargao Following Typhoon Odette, Military Needed To Prevent Chaos – Andanar

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar is asking the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to deploy a contingent to Siargao Island to prevent chaos as looting has already erupted in the province following Typhoon Odette.

Earlier, local officials and Vice President Leni Robredo said the people in areas affected by Odette are in need of food as the prepositioned goods to be given to the victims were also inundated. It has also been difficult to communicate and reach the victims as power lines were destroyed while fallen trees and structures obstructed roads.

“Nagsimula na po ang looting sa iba't ibang lugar sa Siargao. Wala na pong pakundangan. Wala na pong pakialam,” Andanar told “Agenda” on One News on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

Siargao is one of the most badly hit areas by Odette last week.

Andanar said the short-term solution to this problem is to give kilos of rice to every family to avoid looting and so they would have food to eat, especially this Christmas season.

“[Para] hindi po sila makapag-isip na magnakaw para po makakain lamang,” he pointed out.

Andanar, who is from Siargao, cited transportation, communication, and electricity as the main challenges at this time, not only in Siargao, but also in Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte.

He said even fishermen can't fish in these areas because of the lack of pump boats. “Kung sabihin mo, ‘Eh 'di mangisda kayo.’ Wala na ngang pump boat eh. Naubos na nga lahat. Hindi po kapani-paniwala.”

Tsunami

Andanar also told “Sa Totoo Lang” on One PH that a tsunami was recorded in two to three islands in Siargao as per the local government.

“Hindi pa ito na-re-report pero kausap ko po si Vice Mayor [Alfredo] Coro ng Del Carmen (Surigao del Norte), nagkaroon ng tsunami sa dalawa o tatlong isla roon,” Andanar bared. Andanar said residents were safe because of the massive mangrove reforestation in Siargao. Also on Tuesday, PCOO Assistant Secretary JV Arcena said in an interview with “One News Now” that there are still no power and communication lines in Siargao. According to Arcena, the town of Burgos was leveled to the ground by Odette. “‘Yung bayan ng Burgos nakaharap siya sa Pacific Ocean. Dito unang tumama ‘yung bagyo so nagkaroon ng storm surge,” the PCOO official explained. “Lahat ng mga bahay diyan as in burado sa mapa so talagang nangangailan ng tulong. In fact, isolated pa. Hindi mapasok ng kahit ano mang sasakyan o tulong,” he added. Those who survived the typhoon had to walk for four hours to be able to leave the town, Arcena said. Arcena, who is from Siargao like Andanar, noted that Odette was the strongest typhoon to hit Siargao based on residents’ accounts.

Rising prices

Andanar also disclosed that the prices of food, water, and fuel increased in Siargao.

He noted that the liter of gasoline is now sold at P120 and the fare to get out of Siargao and cross to the mainland of Mindanao would cost one person between P2,000 to 10,000.

“Napakahirap po talaga. Nagtataasan ng presyo, nauubusan ng pagkain, nauubusan ng tubig at potable water specifically,” he stressed.

Although he agreed that there is a need for price control at this time, Andanar expressed belief that it would not do anything because even the implementers are affected by the typhoon.

“Definitely, there is a need for price control. Again, we did that during Yolanda. We did it in Tacloban. Pero wala namang magagawa ‘yung price control, price control na ‘yan kung mismo ‘yung nagpapatupad eh gutom din. Kanya kanyang kumpuni ng bahay. Kung hindi dumarating ang pagkain, mahirap,” he explained. Andanar was referring to Super Typhoon

Yolanda that hit the country in November 2013 and also resulted in looting when aid got delayed due to the enormity of the devastation.

The communication chief said anarchy could possibly happen in the affected areas and “we want to avoid this.”

Andanar appealed for food, blankets, clothing, tents, water purifiers, generators, gasoline, solar panels, and satellite phones for Odette victims.

“Again, let me state that beggars can't be choosers kung ano man ang pwedeng ibigay pwede pong ibigay… Basic needs talaga ang kailangan,” he emphasized.

Andanar said that they are already evacuating foreigners and tourists out of Siargao.

Andanar noted his only consolation was that despite the tragic aftermath of Odette, Siargao residents can still manage to crack a joke.

“Nakakabilib din o nakakaiyak din makita ko ‘yung mga kababayan ko doon na sila ay nakangiti pa rin. They manage to crack a joke kahit papaano but then again, it's tragedy. It's really terrible,” he said.

Communications center

In a statement, Andanar disclosed the PCOO established a communications center in Siargao to update typhoon-hit communities about the government's relief efforts and to assist stranded passengers.

“My PCOO team and I are back in Siargao Island to bring food packs, assist stranded passengers, establish a more robust Laging Handa Communication Center, update our incommunicado (fellowmen) stranded on the island about the national government’s efforts and to reach the still impassable communities in Burgos, San Isidro and Pilar,” Andanar said.

Andanar reported that the Sayak Airport in Siargao is filled with local residents and tourists taking their chances to catch the next available flight out of the island. A communications center at the Sayak Airport is ready to help stranded persons waiting for their ride home, he added.

A C130 plane was expected to arrive on Tuesday, Dec. 21, to shuttle stranded tourists out of the island. PCOO will also set up a satellite internet at the Sayak Airport to allow state-run media to broadcast live while communication line issues are being addressed.

Andanar said those who are from Siargao like him are used to typhoons and could survive knowing the terrain. However, the problem was that there were many tourists in island when the typhoon hit and they were unfamiliar with the place. – With Alexis Romero