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'Saan ang mabagal dito?' Duterte says amid criticism of Ulysses response
By JULIA MARI ORNEDO,GMA NewsPresident Rodrigo Duterte insisted on Sunday that the government was not slow to respond to the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses, after it seemingly took cries for help from residents to bring national government attention to the massive flooding in Cagayan and Isabela.
Speaking to reporters in Camarines Sur, Duterte claimed that supplies were prepositioned in the provinces hard hit by the floods after he was asked to respond to criticisms of the government’s “slow” response.
“Istorya lang ‘yan. Kailangan pa ba na tumakbo rin ang gobyerno nang mabilis? You go right away and spend money, you land with the Ombudsman. So give them time to make the proper assessment and all,” he said.
“Saan ang bagal dito? Nandiyan ang pagkain, the housing, nandiyan. They are ready to implement. They have the money. Pang-pulitika ‘yan, sa totoo lang. That’s a political punchline,” Duterte added.
Over the weekend, social media was flooded with haunting videos and images of Cagayan and Isabela residents wailing desperately for help from their rooftops as floods engulfed their homes and crops.
The hashtag “#CagayanNeedsHelp” brought attention to the lack of rescue teams as authorities on the ground struggled with the unprecedented floods.
Without food and water, nearly a hundred people were trapped on rooftops
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However, Duterte maintained that all government departments were prepared.
"The one in charge sa mga preparations for emergency, long before dumating yung typhoon, naka-deploy na ‘yang mga tao dito including the nearest, yung mga makinarya, nandiyan na," he said.
“Lahat ng departamento, may contingency plan ‘yan sila. They have the money already. Sinadya ko yan.. It’s a matter of assessment. You cannot go on a spending spree without knowing what you are spending for."
Meanwhile, Duterte said the government can manage while lawmakers deliberate on proposals to establish a Department of Disaster Resilience.
“We’re having a resistance sa Congress mismo… Sa akin, OK lang. I can do it in the meantime maski ‘yan lang. What is important is that you have the machineries, you have the equipment, and you have the money and people are there, deployed, before the typhoon comes,” he said.
Ulysses has so far claimed at least 67 lives, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. —JST, GMA News