Aquino a 'no show' at disaster preparedness meeting

(Updated 12:00 p.m.) President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III was a "no-show" at a meeting where government officials prepared for the entry of super typhoon Juan (international name: Megi) into Philippine territory before noon on Monday. According to a media advisory sent to Palace reporters on Sunday, Aquino was set to attend the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) meeting at 9:00 a.m. in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officer-in-charge and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Graciano Yumul said during the meeting that super typhoon Juan is expected to enter northern Isabela between 10:00 a.m. until noon. Aquino, however, did not show up. In a text message to reporters, Aquino said he was advised that there was no need yet for him to attend the meeting. "Sa ngayon no need pa raw. Anti-poverty cluster meeting muna ako. Latest ng DOST/PAGASA 12:00 p.m. pa ang dating ng bagyo (They said, as of now, there's no need [o go there]. I'll go to the anti-poverty cluster meeting for now. The latest from DOST/PAGASA is that the typhoon would arrive at noon)," the president said. The Palace officials who were present at the meeting were:

Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa;

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang, and

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
In a text message to reporters, Lacierda said the president's schedule was "full today." "Since he was briefed by SND (Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin) that all necessary preparations were on track and since the storm has not reached landfall, he decided to push through with his other important meetings," Lacierda said. According to the media advisory on Aquino's schedule. He has:

a meeting with the Cabinet's anti-poverty cluster at 10:00 a.m. in Malacañang;

a private meeting at 2:30 p.m., and

a courtesy call of basketball players from the Ateneo de Manila University at 4:00 p.m. Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, who also has to attend the anti-poverty cluster meeting in Malacañang, was present at the NDRRMC meeting. In an interview with reporters after the meeting, Carandang said Aquino decided to go early to the anti-poverty cluster meeting instead of attending the NDRRC meeting because Gazmin informed him that preparations are in place for the super typhoon. "If there were some questions, if there were some concerns, if something was not going right then he would have attended. But since everything seems to have been put in place as you could see this morning he felt it was improtant to attend the anti poverty meeting given na nga na Secretary Soliman and some of the others would be late for that," he said. In an ambush interview after the meeting, Ochoa said everybody appears to be prepared for the onslaught of the typhoon, noting that PAGASA gives hourly updates on the typhoon's movement. "We are better prepared now. Everybody is conscious about their jobs and lahat sila well equipped na," Ochoa said. Yumul said that while Storm Signal No. 1 has been declared in Metro Manila, rains like those brought by Storm Ondoy last year are "not feasible." Gazmin said during the meeting that the NDRRMC is prepared to undertake any contingency measures. Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo likewise said "lessons from the past have pushed us to do better coordination at the field level." So far, families in severely affected areas have been evacuated. According to the 11:00 a.m. advisory of the PAGASA, the areas under Storm Signal No. 4 are:

Cagayan

Isabela

Kalinga

Mt. Province

Ifugao Under Signal No. 3 are:

Babuyan Group of Islands

Calayan Group of Islands

Northern Aurora

Quirino

Nueva Vizcaya

Benguet

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

Abra

La Union

Apayao Under Signal No. 2 are:

Polillio Island

Nueva Ecija

Pangasinan

Tarlac

Batanes Group

Rest of Aurora Under Storm Signal No. 1 are:

Cavite

Bulacan

Pampanga

Bataan

Zambales

Northern Quezon

Metro Manila

Rizal

Laguna

Batangas PAGASA reminded residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under storm signals against possible flashfloods and landslides. — VVP/RSJ, GMANews.TV