Two days after the storm, on Sunday, Soria told reporters in Tacloban City, Leyte – the hardest hit locality – that the number of deaths was pegged at 10,000.
The figure however, was based on the estimates of the Leyte governor, a party mate of the President.
"We had a meeting last night (Saturday, November 9) with the governor and based on the government's estimates, initially there are 10,000 casualties (dead)," Soria was quoted as saying.
Other reports quoting Tacloban administrator Tecson Lim also gave the same number. Lim reportedly said the death toll in the city alone “could go up to 10,000.”