Romualdez fine with ‘presidential snub’ but wants more support for Tacloban

Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez did not mind that President Benigno Aquino III did not visit his city — one of the worst-hit by Typhoon Yolanda — on the anniversary of the calamity. What Romualdez really wanted was better coordination and support from the national government, especially on shelter for those displaced by the typhoon.

In an interview with GMA News anchor Jessica Soho on "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho", Romualdez lauded Aquino's visit to other areas that were hit by the typhoon, since officials from the national government visited Tacloban regularly anyway.



But despite Romualdez's shoulder shrug on the "Presidential snub," he added that some of his constitutents did feel slighted. "Siguro, iba na rin yung mapasyalan ka ng tatay ng Pilipinas," he said.

More importantly, some residents felt that progress in rebuilding Tacloban has been slow. "Ang basic lang dito, when we talk of building back better, we're talking about the lives of the people, not just infrastructure," he added.

Romualdez also pointed out that Tacloban could use more direct support in finding homes — he said that from 2,000 families living in tents, the city had worked to reduce the number to 400 — and in starting businesses.

"We are talking about loans, not dole outs."

‘No copy of master plan’

He added that the city had yet to see a copy of the Yolanda rehabilitation master plan that the president signed late last month.

The city needed the feedback because it would be preparing its budget for 2015, and local officials still do not know which projects they had to shoulder, and which would be supported by the national budget.

"Anong paplanohan namin, hindi namin alam kung ano yung approved, ano yung hindi approved [sa rehabilitation master plan]," he said.

Although Romualdez admitted frustration at the seemingly slow progress of rehabilitation, he was trying to ensure that his working relationship with the national government was very professional.

"I'm also very careful because I represent more than 240,000 people and I have to be very careful with that. I also believe, baka pag hindi maganda yung relasyon, baka hindi naman tulungan yung mga tao," he said.

In December last year, Romualdez and Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II argued over what the mayor claimed was a lack of support from the national government after Yolanda. — Jonathan de Santos/DVM, GMA News