Malacañang on Sunday thanked the special representative for disaster risk reduction sent by the United Nations for her positive feedback on the services rendered by the government to address the plight of the flood victims in Northern Mindanao.

Margareta Wahlstrom, head of the Geneva-based UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, was quoted in a newspaper report commending the Philippine government as well as non-government organizations, church and civil society groups on what she described as “very good and prompt response” in the aftermath of tropical storm Sendong.

Wahlstrom visited Cagayan de Oro and Iligan—the two cities that suffered the most damages and casualties—last January 24 to 27 at about the same time President Benigno S. Aquino III spearheaded the shelter-building communities there.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte welcomed Wahlstrom’s positive remarks, saying that this shows us the value of cooperation not only between the local and national governments but the private sectors as well.

Wahlstrom specifically cited the NGO’s plan of actions for the survivors of the flashfloods, calling it an “impressive work”.

“Ito lang po ‘yung isang example na…kapag lahat po tayo nagko-cooperate sa isa’t isa—nandiyan ang private sector, nandyan po ang national at local government. Kaya nagpapasalamat naman po tayo na nagkakaroon naman ng magandang feedback—hindi lang sa response ng pamahalaan kundi sa response po nating lahat,” Valte said. In his visit to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities last Wednesday, President Aquino assured those who survived the onslaught of typhoon Sendong that the government will not stop until their lives are back to normal again.

“Hindi po tayo makakapayag na laging nasa bingit ng alanganin at naglalaro sa dehado ang kaligtasan ni Juan dela Cruz. Sa tulong ng mga katuwang na ahensiya, tinitiyak natin na ang bawat inisyatibang ating ipinapatupad ay hindi lamang panandaliang tugon, hindi lamang paunang-lunas na bukas-makalawa ay isa nang problema; bagkus mga pangmatagalang solusyon,” the President said in a speech at Barangay Sta. Elena in Iligan City.

The government has allocated over P300-million courtesy of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Quick Response Fund and the National Housing Authority to subsidize over 5,000 housing units for the benefit of the flood victims.