MANILA: Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has ordered the military to check all entry points to areas of Mindanao island affected by a series of powerful earthquakes. “Reports reaching me say people are rushing relief vehicles and getting anything they can,” Lorenzana said.

Photos posted on social media show earthquake victims, particularly those in the town of Makilala in Cotabato province, walking to highways to beg for food, water, medicine, tarpaulins and tents.

Makilala Vice Mayor Ryan Tabanay has appealed for help, saying the local government’s calamity funds have been depleted.

But Lorenzana, who is tasked with leading all relief efforts and ensuring the safety and security of the public in earthquake-stricken areas of Mindanao, said: “There are sufficient relief goods available. It’s just a matter of properly distributing them.”

He added: “I’ve directed the military to remove people from the highways begging and blocking vehicles bringing relief goods, and to bring them to their communities so they can be properly attended to.”

He said: “I’ve also issued a directive for the putting up of checkpoints at all entry points to the disaster areas so we can record all relief goods and relief workers going in.”

The checkpoints will ensure that only legitimate and authorized relief workers are granted access to evacuation centers and receive relief goods and supplies for distribution to evacuees.

There are sufficient relief goods available. It’s just a matter of properly distributing them.

Delfin Lorenzana, Philippine defense secretary

Relief organizations, Lorenzana said, may also leave their donations to troops for distribution to affected families, or if they want to do it themselves, military units can direct them to areas needing their assistance.

He added that the armed forces have a task force in Kidapawan City that is coordinating the military’s operation with ongoing government relief efforts.

“I’ve also directed an engineering contingent to proceed to the area to help in rescue and recovery (operations),” Lorenzana said.

“The entire National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is already in Kidapawan and starting operations already,” he added.

“For the other needed supplies such as water containers, some donors are currently procuring them in Manila and will be transported to Davao (City) together with other supplies in a couple of days,” he said.

“All our efforts are in coordination with the acting provincial governor, who has taken charge of the whole relief operation.”

The latest data from the NDRRMC showed that 27,845 homes and 854 schools were destroyed by the earthquakes, which left 21 dead and hundreds injured.

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake on Oct. 16 was followed by a 6.6-magnitude one on Oct. 29 and a 6.5-magnitude one on Oct. 31.