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Amid the depleted budget because of the government's response against the COVID-19 pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte will allocate two billion pesos to help victims of Typhoon ''Odette''.

This was announced by Acting Presidential Spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles in a radio interview on Sunday.

"Yes, we will look for a way to provide the needs (of the affected population) especially when it comes to the funds. But President Duterte has already committed P2 billion," he said.

"The President will allocate a funding of P2 billion to help. He also told this to the governors yesterday to help for the needs of the victims of Typhoon 'Odette'," he added.

Nograles said Duterte visited the areas of Caraga and Leyte on Saturday. He will visit the western side of the country that was also battered by ''Odette''.

"He (Duterte) said I'm done with the east... he said he will go next to the west," he said.

It can be recalled before he visited the areas hit by Odette, Duterte expressed concern about the depleted budget of the national government.

"Our budget is depleted immensely because of COVID, our budget really ran out. Maybe (we will) prioritize the expenses. These typhons are imponderables. They would come, they would not come," he said.

However, Nograles said the Department of Social Welfare and Development has prepositioned relief goods for the people in the typhoon hit areas.

"In fact, around P1 billion worth of family food packs and non food items are already prepositioned. So, right now, what we're trying to do is, the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) is clearing all the roads so that we can immediately distribute food," he said.

"In the islands, the Navy, Coast Guard, and military assets will be used to immediately deploy food packs in the areas that need it," he added.

Nograles said Duterte ordered the use of all government assets so aid will reach the affected population as soon as possible.

"The president said, use all government assets that we can in order to provide-because the goods are prepositioned- but we have to get the goods down to the evacuation centers, down to the barangays, down to the people who need it," he said. Robina Asido/DMS