President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is scheduled to visit areas in Mindanao affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake, Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro confirmed on Tuesday.
“Mayroon po siyang balak na pumunta, naka-schedule po ’yan,” Castro said during a press briefing.
However, Castro did not disclose the specific date of the visit or identify the locations that Marcos is expected to inspect.
According to Castro, the government is already addressing reports that some residents have been left homeless due to the damage caused by the earthquake.
She said the issue of displaced families was among the priorities discussed during a meeting held earlier in the day.
“’Yan po ang inuna ng Pangulo na ang mga kababayan natin na walang tirahan ay maaari muna silang manatili sa evacuation center at sa mga provided tents na sinasabi ng DSWD,” Castro said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been providing temporary shelter through evacuation centers and tents for affected residents.
Earlier on Tuesday, Marcos convened a situation briefing as the government intensified its response efforts following the earthquake.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Cabinet officials have been deployed to Mindanao on the President’s directive to ensure a whole-of-government response to the disaster.
During the briefing, government officials presented updates on rescue operations, damage assessments, and the immediate needs of affected communities as authorities continue relief and recovery efforts in quake-hit areas.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on Monday was described by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) as the "strongest" earthquake to hit the Philippines this year.
