Malacañang on Thursday said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is expected to investigate whether illegal quarrying, deforestation, and unregulated development contributed to the catastrophic flooding that hit Cebu during Typhoon Tino.
According to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wants authorities to determine if the disaster was purely caused by nature or worsened by human activities and environmental neglect.
“Dapat lamang po tingnan ito ng DENR kung hindi lamang ito ‘act of God,’ kung may kinalaman ang pagpapabaya at pang-aabuso sa kalikasan,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.
She added that the President no longer needs to issue a direct order for the probe, as the DENR already understands his expectations during such disasters.
“Hindi na kailangang iutos ng Pangulo dahil alam na nila kung ano ang gusto niya sa ganitong klaseng kalamidad,” she noted.
Public outrage has grown in Cebu, where 71 of the 114 confirmed fatalities from Typhoon Tino were reported. Locals have attributed the extent of the flooding not only to heavy rains but also to years of unchecked quarrying and construction in vulnerable areas.
Marcos earlier directed all government agencies to accelerate relief and recovery efforts as the country braces for Typhoon Uwan, which could hit Luzon this weekend.