Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: Government officials hold 'Laging Handa' briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic. | bit.ly/3kp2YeL

Tweets by our digital producer @meltlopez

@meltlopez Senator Win Gatchalian: May mga modules tayo na nasira dahil sa bagyo, mas mahirap ngayon ang sitwasyon ng distance learning.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian: May mga area na zero COVID-19 cases na, ang mungkahi ng ibang mga guro ay purok workshops kung saan pwede magturo sa limitadong bilang ng estudyante

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian: Napakahirap sa isang bata na turuan nang walang modules.

@meltlopez As Luzon is ravaged by Typhoon Ulysses, government's Laging Handa briefing is discussing distance learning due to COVID-19.

Sen. Gatchalian: Kung ganitong bumabaha at paputol-putol ang signal, ang hirap imonitor ng progress ng mga bata.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian says there are also several families who have evacuated in Valenzuela. There's also high tide, so preemptive evacuation was done in the city.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian: We prepared during Typhoon Rolly but we did not need to evacuate families. That was just last week, so it's still set up.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian: Mataas ang tubig sa Tullahan river, maraming nakatira sa malapit na nagsialisan.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian on distance learning: Wala pa tayong formal assessment, minomononitor pa natin ito sa school officials at mga guro.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian on medical scholarship bill: May malaki tayong pagkukulang sa doctors. Dapat 10 for every 10,000 people. Ngayon yata nasa 3 doctors per 10,000 tayo.

@meltlopez Sen. Gatchalian on medical scholarship: We need 80,000 doctors nationwide.

@meltlopez PH Red Cross chairman and Senator Richard Gordon on #UlyssesPH response: Lahat ng forces natin sa Luzon ay dinadala natin sa Metro Manila at Rizal. Half ng forces natin nasa Bicol.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Nahihirapan kami dahil dadalhin ang tao sa evacuation center, bibigyan sila ng hot meals.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: We are sending amphibian vehicles to Montalban, Rizal kung makakapasok

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: We're also looking at Central Luzon, NCR, Southern Luzon chapters. Tinitingnan namin ang Laguna de Bay, baka magpapakawala ng tubig yan

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: We're still handling our people in Catanduanes, kakapadala lang namin ng gamit kahapon. Parang gusto ko ngang ipabalik 'yung iba kasi dito naman kailangan na rin.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Hindi kami basta pumapasok, naga-assess kami dahil baka pagka-rescue, hindi rin makalabas.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Ang mga tao sa Montalban at San Mateo sa Rizal, kahit magagandang bahay lubog na sa baha.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Kukuha kami ng teams mula sa mga siyudad na hindi masyadong nasalanta sa Metro Manila tulad ng Pasay, Mandaluyong, Quezon City

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Bata pa ako, bahain na ang Central Luzon. We need interceptor canals, resolve blockages in dikes

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: May mga lugar talaga na mababa. Ang Provident Village (sa Marikina), mababa talaga.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Ang binabayo ng #UlyssesPH ay Camarines Norte at Quezon. Meron din sa Catanduanes.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Malaking setback ito sa economic condition ng mga tao. Problema natin paanong magbibigay ng hot meals, sana pwedeng magluto ang mga restaurant at itatakbo na lang namin sa evacuation centers.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: We segregate evacuees for COVID-19 symptoms. Marunong ang mayor ng Marikina, hindi nila pinupuno ang mga eskwelahan. Nagpadala kami ng 6x6 trucks para mag-rescue.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon says there's also heavy flooding in Masbate, with photos taken by Red Cross volunteers.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Nakatanggap ako ng 8 calls ng mga taong nasa bubong na. Tatangkain nating puntahan, may 80 anyos na babae doon.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Those with rubber boats can come to us, we will provide assistance through our amphibian vehicle.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: There's really climate change. Dapat all mayors, barangays alamin muna anong kalaban niyo sa lugar niyo. Kung mababa ang lugar, mababaha talaga.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Ang property mababawi, ang buhay hindi.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Mababaw na ang Laguna de Bay, it is greed that caused this. 'Yung capacity niya, hindi na makayanan ang tubig.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Dapat ding i-dredge ang Marikina River. May mga nagba-block ng drainage, dapat tanggalin ito. We need to use our foresight – if we don't, no government is big enough to handle this.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Kahit maglagay ka ng maraming pera o bagon department, hindi masosolve ito unless maaddress ang cultural problem. Is it property or your life? Dapat nauuna ka mag-isip.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Kailangang ipaliwanag ng gobyerno na kailangang i-dredge at palalimin ang Laguna de Bay. Catchment basin 'yan, mailalabas sa dagat ang tubig.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Dapat nagtatanim tayo sa Sierra Madre. Fruit trees para kumakapit agad ang roots. Sa shoreline, mangroves at swamps.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: It takes 3 years para tumubo ulit ang abaca sa Catanduanes.

Abaca is the main product of the province. Over a billion pesos has been lost due to #RollyPH bit.ly/2UlHULo

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Nakailang bagyo na tayo, may mga papasok pa 'yan. Ang strategy natin sa Red Cross, lagi kaming ready with volunteers

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: I'm sure government is doing a fine job themselves, pero dapat nagtutulong-tulong at compare notes tayo.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: We need to identify overserved, underserved, and not served areas.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Red Cross hotline is 143, 0917 824 7285, 8790-2300.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Punong-puno kami ngayon sa Red Cross. We are asking for our veteran responders in Visayas. We are under siege, kalaban natin ang nature.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Red Cross is accepting donations via its bank accounts to boost disaster relief efforts.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon: Kung magdodonate kayo, 'wag naman 'yung mga butas-butas na damit. Aayusin pa namin 'yan into sizes bago ipamigay. Kapag sira-sira, gagawing rugs ito sa isang project sa Payatas.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon praises Red Cross volunteers for their hard work ever since the pandemic and during the typhoon response.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon says Red Cross is receiving help from a big-time supporter from the Middle East: Maraming tumutulong sa atin, mga tiga-international Red Cross.

@meltlopez Sen. Gordon was once called "mukhang pera" by President Rodrigo Duterte after Red Cross demanded government to settle its nearly P1B debt for COVID-19 testing services. bit.ly/2GQYNui

@meltlopez DILG Secretary Eduardo Año: Nagkaroon tayo ng emergency meeting sa NDRRMC ngayong araw. Nakita natin na busy tayo sa search and rescue operations dahil sa dulot na baha ng bagyo.

@meltlopez DILG: Ang pinakatinamaan ay Montalban, San Mateo, Cainta sa Rizal. Pinakamalaking baha ay sa Marikina

@meltlopez DILG: Una dapat i-rescue ang stranded na overflooded areas, yung mga nasa bubong

@meltlopez DILG: Sa mga nastranded sa bubong, parating na ang tulong. Hindi tayo titigil hangga't di naligtas ang huling myembro ng pamilya

@meltlopez DILG reminds evacuees should still maintain social distancing. Hindi pwedeng magka-transmission habang may disaster.

@meltlopez DILG: Sa ibang nasa quarantine center, nailipat sa mga hotel para magamit ang facilities

@meltlopez DILG: Pero ang Ondoy, malawakan. Ito, within the river ang problema natin.

@meltlopez DILG chief says PNP, Bureau of Fire rescuers have reached flooded areas in Rizal, Marikina.

@meltlopez Año says rescue choppers will be deployed once the weather improves.

@meltlopez DILG on power supply: There was preventive disconnection done because of strong winds and flooding. We're coordinating with Meralco to restore gradually

@meltlopez DILG: Within the day, meron na pong magkakaroon ng kuryente

@meltlopez What are the President's orders?

Año: Ineexpect natin ang Pangulo na magpatawag ng meeting. Before the typhoon, nagbigay siya ng directive na paghandaan ang bagyo at ideploy lahat ng resources para sa assistance at rescue.

@meltlopez DILG: Buhay ng tao ang ating priority.

@meltlopez DILG to typhoon victims: Malalampasan natin ito, tulong-tulong lang. Help is on the way, kaunting pasyensya lang.

@meltlopez PCOO Sec. Martin Andanar says Duterte is expected to speak publicly after hearing the reports from Cabinet members.

@meltlopez Quezon City DRRM: We are using public schools as evacuation centers. There's no power supply in most parts of the city

@meltlopez Quezon City disaster response office Action Officer Myke Marasigan on #UlyssesPH: We have 1,028 families or 4,156 individuals in evacuation centers

@meltlopez Quezon City DRRM: We evacuated 21 barangays in low-lying areas

@meltlopez Quezon City DRRM: Iwasan po muna natin ang Araneta Avenue. May mga reported na subdivision sa district 2 na binaha.

@meltlopez Quezon City DRRM: For requests for assistance, our hotline is 122; 8928-4396

@meltlopez Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque joins the 'Laging Handa' briefing: Nagpaalam ang Presidente sa ASEAN Summit para mag-supervise ng response sa #UlyssesPH

@meltlopez Roque: Inatasan ng Presidente lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno na magbigay-relief at assistance.

@meltlopez Roque: PNP has deployed search and rescue personnel. In Metro Manila, there are 291 personnel as of 10 a.m. Coast Guard deployed teams and equipment in parts of Luzon.

@meltlopez Roque: Ang DSWD field offices ay may P226 million standby funds

@meltlopez Roque: We have stockpiles for family food packs, and P177 million food items and P271 million worth of non-food items.

@meltlopez Roque: On the ASEAN Summit, Duterte just finished his speech before the plenary then excused himself. Pati ang Malacañang mismo, binabaha na.

@meltlopez Roque: Duterte asked for deeper engagement to recover from COVID-19. There should be urgent action on ASEAN recovery framework, ASEAN center for public health.

@meltlopez Roque: Duterte asked that as economies recover, no one should be left behind.

@meltlopez Roque: Duterte then excused himself after the plenary to respond to the typhoon. Ebidensya ang typhoon para labanan ang climate change.

@meltlopez Roque: Pagdating sa South China Sea, inulit ng Presidente na nais nito ng peaceful resolution. Inaasahan nya ang pagbuo ng Code of Conduct sa lalong madaling panahon.

@meltlopez Roque: Sabi ni Pangulo, ang 2016 arbitral award is now part of international law, cannot be ignored by any country no matter how powerful it is.