On Tuesday President Rodrigo Duterte, visits to the typhoon-stricken province and pledged P50 million, and if the budget will allow, up to P100 million worth of aid to help farmers and residents.
"I have the money for corn (and) rice, and it is about 50-million to give you. Titingnan ko lang (Let me check) if needed, I might add something to it," the President said in his remarks to residents in the provincial capital of Pili.
He also added he released P1 billion for medicines of indigents with prescription.
The President arrived in Pili after his visit to Virac in Catanduanes, another province under a state of calamity. Catanduanes was where typhoon Nina made landfall on Christmas Eve.
Duterte said that he had wanted to travel to Bicol the day after Typhoon Nina battered the region. But he had to visit victims of a church bombing in Midsayap in North Cotabato. The bombing occurred also on Christmas Eve.
"I wanted to be here the day after but may problema sa Mindanao. Paputok ng simbahan doon. While priest was lecturing about extrajudicial killings, hinagisan siya tuloy ng granada," Duterte said.
The suspects behind the Midsayap bombing are still unknown. In his remarks Tuesday, Duterte mentioned the Maute Group which he accused of being involved in narco-terrorism. Members of the Maute Group have been charged with a deadly bombing in Davao City in September, and a siege of a town in Lanao Del Sur this month.
According to Duterte, the Maute group is driven by shabu, using money from the trade in this highly addictive illegal drug to support their operations.
Duterte skipped the ceremonial distribution of goods to victims there to fly to Davao City for an engagement with local government officials there.
