MANILA, Philippines 鈥� After nearly a decade has passed since Super Typhoon Yolanda hit, President 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos still doesn鈥檛 buy that 6,000 people died from the powerful cyclone.
Marcos Jr. on Tuesday commemorated the 鈥渦ncounted dead鈥� from the tragedy, stressing he believes more fatalities than the official estimates.
鈥淚 come here because I must commemorate [that] uncounted dead that up to now we do not know how many that number is. We must come to these commemorations so that we will remember those who were told not to remember,鈥� he said during his speech at the 9th-year commemoration of Yolanda in Tacloban City.
鈥淚f you remember, during the count of the casualties, the count was stopped. And we knew that there were still thousands out there. And for those thousands, those countless thousands, we come here, we commemorate. Because if we no longer commemorate [them], their memory dies. And it is only up to us to keep that memory alive,鈥� Marcos added.
He acknowledged how Tacloban residents continue to grieve for their loved ones lost during the typhoon鈥檚 onslaught.
鈥淚n a way, we were told to forget about them. And we will not forget about them. And we cannot forget about them. And I know you do not forget about them. And that is why we continue to commemorate Yolanda and we continue to grieve our dead. Because we not only grieve the dead that are here, but we also grieve for those who we do not even know how many they are, who they are, and where they are,鈥� he said.
Marcos also said the commemoration demonstrates the 鈥渟trength and courage of Filipinos鈥� amid tragedies, saying Tacloban itself was able to be 鈥渂uilt back better.鈥�
鈥淚t always gives us hope that even if there are tragedies and disasters in other places, we know the Filipino spirit will never be quelled, the Filipino spirit will always burn bright and bring back normal life to their communities,鈥� he said.
In a separate media interview, the President said he has since questioned the number of fatalities from Yolanda, saying it was not only over 6,000.
鈥淚 have questioned it from day one. I have questioned 鈥� 6,000 plus ang sabi nila? It鈥檚 not 6,000 plus,鈥� he said.
However, he said it was already 鈥渢oo late鈥� to determine the true number of casualties from the tragedy.
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