LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has backed the planned long-term recovery efforts of the local government units (LGUs) in Siargao Island that was badly hit by Super Typhoon Odette.

On Thursday morning, Duterte visited Siargao Island to bring relief goods and construction materials.

Duterte, during a live phone patch from Siargao for her online show “Sara for You All,” said the island still needs a lot of help.

“Marami pa ring mga bahay ang hindi pa na-rebuild ng mga tao dahil kulang pa sila ng materials sa pagpapatayo muli ng kanilang mga bahay,” Duterte said.

Pilar town mayor Maria Liza Resurreccion, who is also president of League of Municipality in Surigao del Norte, said they were slowly recovering from the devastation.

“It has been a month and four days since tumama ang Odette sa Siargao. Unti-unti po kaming bumabangon pero hindi po magiging madali dahil devastated po talaga ang Siargao Island, even the whole province of Surigao del Norte,” Resurreccion said via phone.

Resurreccion, however, said they were already starting to draft the recovery plan for the LGUs.

For her town, the mayor said was looking at “maximum utilization of land” by implementing multi-cropping.

Resurreccion said at least 70 percent of the island’s coconut trees were uprooted by the typhoon, and that the remaining 30 percent that were still standing would not bear fruit in the next three to five years.

She also called on national government agencies – Department of Labor and Employment, Bureau of Food and Administration, and Department of Agriculture – to provide motorized banca to fisherfolk who lost their livelihood because of the typhoon.

“We are seeking help para mabigyan ulit yung mga fisherfolk natin ng pump boat, banca, and all the material para po sila makapangisdang muli,” Resurreccion said.

She also thanked Duterte for making true her promise to come to bring help.

“Mayor Sara saw the situation and assured na tutulungan niya kami. Na-boost po ang morale namin dahil sa panahon na ito, hindi lang importante ang mga bagay kundi ang ma-feel ng mga kababayan natin na people really care,” she said.

Duterte acknowledged the generosity of different private sectors, the Lakas-CMD party, Sen. Bong Revilla, and the AGIMAT party-list, that helped bring 500 sacks of National Food Administration rice, 5,000 family food packs and building materials.

She said if people wanted to donate, it would be better to give construction materials.

“Kung may mga donors pa tayo from private sectors na gusto mag donate and magbigay ng tulong, ito talaga ang kailangan ng mga tao, ang kanilang mga bubungan mapaayos. ‘Yun ang primary na need nila,” she added.