Tacloban mayor appeals for 'words of encouragement'

(Updated 5:01 p.m.) Now that relief goods have finally reached grief-stricken survivors of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban City, the city's mayor has appealed for a different kind of help.

“We need words of encouragement now,” said Mayor Alfred Romualdez in an interview on GMA News TV's “News To Go” on Tuesday. “We need to bring back their (people's) dreams and hopes, we have to start and move on.”

Romualdez was reacting to President Benigno Aquino III's statement that Tacloban did not seem to be well prepared for Yolanda, which lashed the Visayas and northern Palawan on November 8, leaving close to 4,000 dead as of Tuesday morning.

The mayor brushed aside the criticism, saying the government's focus should be the affected population.

“Whatever he (Aquino) wants to do to me, it’s fine. But let’s help the people here. They need attention,” Romualdez said.

Thank you

Romualdez's wife, former actress Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez and currently a city councilor, meanwhile thanked those who extended help to Tacloban, one of the areas hardest hit by the super typhoon.

“Unang-una gusto ko magpasalamat for all the help na pinakita ng mga tao not only in Philippines but pati ibang bansa. Love, compassion, puso na binibigay sa Tacloban. Yung pag-aaruga at saka basic needs,” she said in the same interview.

Among the donations received by Tacloban were temporary shelters, tents, underwear, sanitary napkins, diapers, infant milk, breastmilk, and blankets.

Mrs. Romualdez expressed optimism that those who left Tacloban for Manila will soon return to help rebuild the city.

“I know the people here in Tacloban just left temporarily. I know they love the city and they want to rebuild the city together with us. Most of them have high hopes and positive outlooks. Karamihan sa nakausap ko na businessman gusto na bumalik dito para magbukas na ng kanilang businesses,” she said.

More than 3,000 evacuees from Tacloban arrived in Manila over the weekend.

Investigation

Romualdez said the investigation on local government units' response to Typhoon Yolanda ordered by Aquino could be counter-productive.

He said although it is the President's prerogative to order the probe, he fears that it would stifle the efforts of local government leaders to rebuild their ravaged areas.

“Sinabi ko nga na malaki problema namin sa pagpapa-imbestiga. Kinakabahan ako na baka ang mga mayor sa iba't ibang lugar, di na magre-report ng katotohanan dahil baka pag nagsabi sila, baka pati sila paimbestigahan,” he said.

Romualdez added the people just stated the truth when they complained about the supposed slow response of the national government on the disaster.

“Nagtaka na yung ibang grupo, yung ibang dayuhan na nandito na sanay sa rescue. Nagtaka sila, bakit parang ilang araw na, kulang. Parang tinipid ang rescue,” he said.

But more than the probe, the Tacloban mayor said the focus should be on the relief operations for the affected residents.

“Kung mag-iimbestiga tayo, sige gawin nila yun. Pero ang sinasabi ko unahin na muna natin yung natamaan dito at ilibing yung mga patay. Yun muna ang ayusin dito sa Tacloban,” Romualdez said in a separate interview on GMA News' “Unang Hirit.”

Prof. Roland Simbulan, vice-chairman of Center for People Empowerment in Governance (Cenpeg) and a political analyst, said Aquino's order to probe local government units was ill-timed as local officials are still reeling from the effects of the typhoon.

“Maling timing at this time. Hindi mo mae-expect na they will respond in a normal way kasi naging biktima sila mismo. Kaya nga yung national government dito ang dapat mag-take over na and take full responsibility for whatever needs to be done,” he said.

Starting over again

Romualdez said the local government and the city as a whole are slowly regaining their capability to start anew.

“Umiikot ako sa barangay, nakikita ko nag-aayos na sila ng bahay. Ang iba nakangiti na, dati naka-shock pa sila noon. At least we can see they are moving on. Business sectors nakikiusap na banks start opening. Gas stations, we were able to open several days ago. We were waiting for hardware stores to open. Sa palengke, may stalls nang nag-open,” he said.

He described Tacloban City as “the center of the region.”

“Nandito lahat so we really have to jumpstart the economy,” Romualdez said.

No move to oust Romualdez

Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas belied reports that the national government wanted Romualdez out of the Tacloban City hall so they could take over the functions of the local government.

“At this point of the tragedy that befell Tacloban, it is unfortunate that some quarters continue to allow politics to rear its ugly head,” Lacierda said in a text message to GMA News Online.

He also called on critics “to set aside politics and focus on helping the affected populace in Tacloban. National government is there to help and we should focus on that objective.”

In a press statement, Roxas denied the claim of lawyer Alex Avisado, Romualdez's counsel, that he asked the mayor to surrender his authority to the DILG. The report was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday.

Roxas said Romualdez and other local leaders were asking for the imposition of a curfew, which requires an ordinance, to restore law and order following widespread looting in the city.

“On day two after Yolanda’s exit, they asked the same from the President and got the same reply that an ordinance was needed. Nonetheless, at their pleading, the PNP (Philippine National Police) imposed a curfew on their representation that they will pass the said ordinance,” he said.

The local council, however, failed to pass an ordinance due to lack of quorum.

“After four days of inability to pass the ordinance, I asked them to write a letter so that the President has a basis for ordering said curfew,” Roxas said.

He added that the primary topic discussed during his meeting with Romualdez and the local officials at the Tacloban City Hall was a local businessman’s suggestion to impost a local ‘martial law” to curb lawlessness in the aftermath of the typhoon.

“Walang naging usapan na takeover ng DILG o national government sa Tacloban City Hall. This is absolute nonsense and there was a roomful of people in the command center at the city who can attest to this,” Roxas said.

“There are various laws that address the situation of an ineffective LGU official especially in emergencies. We never undermined them. Kaya lang, kung ‘pilay’ ang LGUs dahil biktima din sila, then we need to act,” he added. — Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News