PNoy to visit flood-hit provinces in Central Luzon Wednesday

President Benigno Aquino III is scheduled to visit La Paz in Tarlac, Bulacan and Pampanga provinces Wednesday to "see for himself the effects of the typhoon both in infrastructure and also the affected communities." At a press briefing Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Aquino will be briefed by the respective disaster risk reduction management council of the provinces hit hard by Typhoons Pedring and Quiel last week. The President will also be meeting the local officials and the residents. The provinces of Bulacan, Tarlac and Pampanga have been submerged in floodwaters for days due to Typhoons Pedring and Quiel. For one, sanitation problems and water-borne diseases are hounding Bulacan residents affected by floods. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said the death toll from Pedring remained at 55, with 65 injured and 28 missing. Damage to property remained at P8.803 billion, including P1.249 billion in infrastructure and P7.554 billion in agriculture. Meanwhile, the death toll from Quiel remained at four, with three still missing.

In the same press briefing, Lacierda defended Aquino’s "absence" at the affected areas during the height of the relief and rescue operations saying it saved resources. "Do you know how much government resources or the local government resources are going to be diverted if the President comes? Instead of focusing on the affected communities, ang tendency kasi ng local and national government mada-divert ang resources na puwedeng gamitin. "For instance, helicopters can be used to deliver goods to those affected areas than for President’s use," he said. "At the height of the whole situation, it is important that government was moving, and the entire machinery was moving. You saw (Interior Secretary) Jesse Robredo there Thursday, Friday, Saturday; you saw (DSWD Secretary) Dinky Soliman there, you saw the Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa there. They were all there addressing the concerns both in terms of relief goods. Tumatakbo po ang ating gobyerno," he added. He said Aquino may not be seen in public but he instructed the government officials to do and provide any and all assistance with the affected communities. "Now that nag-subside na, there’s time for the President at least ma-concentrate na iyong pagtulong po sa mga affected communities. The president wants to see for himself po iyong situation po doon," he said. Different from Arroyo At the same time, Lacierda stressed that Aquino is a president different from his predecessor, incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. "This is a different president, this is not somebody who would like just to go there. He has reasons why he had called on the officials to work, to move and don’t have to wait for the President to be visible just for the entire government, bureaucracy to be moving," he said. He added that it is the attitude of Aquino to give orders to his Cabinet and do his job even without publicity. "We are not justifying this kung bakit wala si Pangulo but that’s his attitude. Inutusan na po niya ang mga official na gumalaw na kahit na wala siya doon because he knows that what’s more important is focus be given to the affected communities rather than themselves," he said. "We can guarantee you that the President was on top of the situation. He continues to be on top of the situation," Lacierda added. On the issue of declaration of state calamity in affected areas, he said the matter has yet to be discussed, adding that they still have to see whether there's a need for such declaration. "But even without a declaration of calamity, we are pursuing our efforts at providing assistance and relief to those affected communities," he said. Lacierda said the Cabinet members are still studying the rehabilitation plan they will present to the President. — RSJ, GMA News