Jokowi Sleeps in Palue Camp as Sikka Prepares Rp20 Billion Quake Aid

Labuan Bajo — Former president Joko Widodo visited earthquake-hit communities on Pulau Palue in Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, inspecting damaged homes and spending the night in a displacement camp as local authorities prepared to use Rp20 billion in central assistance for recovery, according to local media and officials.

Florespedia reported that Widodo’s itinerary included damaged houses in Dusun Cawalo and the Resa Rokirole area, as well as the Rokirole village office, before he joined residents at a shelter on Guntur Field in Cawalo.[florespedia.id] National outlets including IDN Times and Media Indonesia likewise documented Widodo’s visit to Rokirole, Palue, on 16 September, describing him walking through the settlement and checking houses that were heavily damaged or destroyed by the August 2026 Flores earthquake.[idntimes.com][mediaindonesia.com]

Florespedia reported that Widodo arrived at Frans Seda Airport in Maumere around early afternoon before travelling by road to Ropa and then by boat to Palue, accompanied by Sikka Regent Juventus Prima Yoris Kago and district officials.[florespedia.id] Other coverage noted that the regent joined Widodo during the visit to Rokirole, and that the former president met residents into the evening to hear their accounts of the quake and its aftermath.[idntimes.com][viva.co.id]

At the Cawalo shelter, customary leaders welcomed Widodo with a Pa’e prayer and a Thambo Wae ceremony involving coconut water, described as a symbol of peace and comfort, and presented him with traditional Palue cloth.[florespedia.id] Florespedia quoted organisers and residents as saying the visit helped restore morale and showed that the community was not facing the disaster alone.

Local coordinators told Florespedia that their main expectation was for Widodo to see conditions directly and to remember Palue after leaving.[florespedia.id] Regional broadcaster RRI later reported that Widodo also brought building materials for residents and held informal talks with displaced families about their needs and priorities.[rri.co.id]

Overnight stay in Cawalo camp

Florespedia’s reports said Widodo was expected to spend the night at the Guntur Field shelter alongside residents from Palue’s villages.[florespedia.id] Subsequent coverage from RRI, Tribun group outlets and other national media stated that Widodo did in fact sleep in a tent at the Cawalo evacuation post with earthquake survivors on the night of 16 September, and spoke with customary leaders and residents there about their concerns, including access to clean water.[rri.co.id][tribunnews.com]

Florespedia described a communal meal with customary leaders and representatives from eight villages on Palue, followed by a dialogue session to discuss living conditions and recovery needs.[florespedia.id] Independent reports similarly highlighted Widodo’s efforts to listen to grievances and encourage coordination between village leaders and the Sikka government.[rri.co.id]

Rp20 billion assistance for housing and recovery

The visit came as Sikka moved from emergency response into recovery planning after the 15 August 2026 Flores earthquake. Florespedia quoted district secretary and disaster task force chair Femy Bapa as saying that almost 9,000 damaged houses had been recorded by the end of the second verification phase.[florespedia.id] The district government set a transition period from emergency to recovery between 12 September and 10 December 2026.

According to Florespedia, Sikka was preparing to manage Rp20 billion in assistance from the president for earthquake recovery, to be allocated across eight district work units in line with central regulations and revisions to the local budget.[florespedia.id] The largest planned share, about Rp6 billion, was earmarked for the housing agency to support repairs to lightly damaged homes.

Bapa explained that district funds would target houses with less than 20 percent damage, while the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) would handle repairs and reconstruction for homes with damage of 20 percent or more, including moderate and severe categories.[florespedia.id] The available reports did not specify a dedicated allocation for Palue or provide a detailed reconstruction timetable for the island.

Florespedia’s coverage stressed that the Rp20 billion package was still subject to formal budget changes and technical guidelines from the central government.[florespedia.id] Officials said the goal was to combine national and local support so that residents whose homes had suffered varying levels of damage could begin repairs before the end of the year.

Sources

• IDN Times – Jokowi Beri Bantuan dan Kunjungi Warga Terdampak Gempa Pulau Palue
• Viva – Lihat Rumah Warga Korban NTT Hancur, Jokowi Langsung Titip Pesan ke Bupati Setempat
• RRI – Jokowi Bawa Bantuan Material untuk Warga Palue
• TribunWow – Jokowi Bermalam Bersama Pengungsi Gempa Flores di Pulau Palue
• Media Indonesia – Jokowi Blusukan ke Lokasi Gempa NTT, Cek Rumah Warga yang Hancur
• Florespedia.id