Bulacan evacuees find Aquino's visit 'too short'

Calumpit, Bulacan- Evacuees in flood-stricken Calumpit, Bulacan found President Benigno Simeon Aquino III's visit at an evacuation center on Wednesday too short as he stayed there only for two to three minutes. The President went to the evacuation center at United Pulp and Paper Corporation but did not stay long. He just shook the hands of some of the 170 evacuees then proceeded to Malolos to attend a regional development council meeting. Asked on the presence of Aquino, 50-year old Marian Aguilar, one of the evacuees, noticed the short stay of the President. "Magte-thank you sana for the effort at pagbisita. Marami pa sana kaming gustong sabihin pero wala siyang time sa amin," Aguilar said. Calumpit is still submerged in waist-high floodwater several days after two typhoons dumped heavy rains and triggered flooding in the area. Calumpit residents need to ride a banca to go from one place to another. A 100-meter banca ride costs each passenger P20. Earlier in the day, Aquino visited La Paz, Tarlac and San Fernando, Pampanga. With the President were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Public Works and Highway Secretary Rogelio Singson and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang. Meanwhile, Aquino defended anew the government's disaster response, highlighting the drop in the number of fatalities this year compared to 2009. "Sana walang namatay. Yung cooperation ng tao tatrabahuhin pa natin pero yung drop is from 400 plus with Ondoy, about 50 ngayon so 10 percent," Aquino told reporters during his visit to the flooded area here. "So sino pa ang mabagal ngayon?" he asked. - VVP, GMA News