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Duterte looks for women in bikinis, tells Siargao residents money will arrive
By LLANESCA T. PANTI,GMA NewsPresident Rodrigo Duterte told the victims of Typhoon Odette in Siargao that help is coming, but not before looking for women in bikinis first.
"What we always see in the magazines when we come across photos of Siargao are the bikini-clad women. Where are they? Ah they aren’t residents here? Oh, you… They didn’t wait for me," Duterte joked during his visit there on Wednesday, December 22.
Duterte delivered his speech in the Cebuano dialect, with the translation provided to reporters by the Presidential Communications and Operations Office.
"But you have plenty of… Just wait for the money to arrive. Take care of it and spend it wisely, I’ve already told the governor," he added.
Duterte then said that he will buy all the coconut trees downed by the typhoon so the lumber can be used to rebuild the houses that were wiped out.
"It’s wood so you can collect it and use it. You now have the materials to rebuild your houses. Help will arrive, I promise you. That’s all I came here for," Duterte said.
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"If you have other concerns…when it comes to food, remember this: food will always be provided for as long as there are people who are hungry. It's really tough luck because the damage is massive. Looking at the situation makes me want to cry," he added.
The Department of Budget and Management said Thursday that the P1 billion funding for Odette-hit areas will be released this week as ordered by President Duterte.
Typhoon Odette has left at least 258 people dead.
Likewise, the typhoon displaced over 2.1 million people just days before Christmas Day. — BM, GMA News