MANILA, Philippines (Eagle News Service) — President Aquino said Friday he is ultimately responsible for how the government works in the midst of preparations being made to brace for the impact of super typhoon ‘Ruby (international name Hagupit) which is expected to pummel areas in the Visayas region that had been previously hit by super-typhoon Yolanda last year.
Before this, the President presided over a meeting in Camp Aquinaldo to coordinate government efforts to mitigate the impact of Typhoon ‘Ruby,’ which is expected to hit Eastern Visayas on Saturday afternoon.
He said he wanted to impress on everyone that it is not just a matter of doing something but rather doing the right thing.
The President has already instructed government agencies to deal with reports of panic buying and hoarding in areas expected to be hit by Typhoon ‘Ruby’ this weekend.
During a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) meeting he led on Thursday afternoon, President Aquino ordered the deployment of “rolling stores” to ensure sufficient supply of basic commodities.
The Chief Executive also directed food agencies to ensure the availability of rice and ordered the police to secure warehouses where food and other relief goods are stored.
During the meeting, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported to the President that it has sent 3,000 food packs to Borongan, Samar, after receiving an advisory that Eastern Samar could be affected.
The department said it will also send about 2,000 food packs to Marabut town in Samar, for families that need to be evacuated from low-lying areas.
It said it is assessing the situation in other low-lying areas and that food items are being repacked in Eastern Visayas.
The DSWD said it has more than 30,000 readily available family food packs.
In Tacloban City, the department said it has begun transferring families from Barangay 88, the immediate vicinity of the Tacloban airport, to permanent shelters built for victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
As of Thursday, the department has settled some 35 families
“We had to learn about the science of all of this. We had to be clarified as to the precise meaning of all of the phrases and words and the jargon that was being thrown about in the hope of being able to direct the necessary actions in a more precise manner,” he said.
Responding to comments on how he led Thursday’s NDRRMC meeting, President Aquino quipped that his Cabinet secretaries have to endure “a thesis-like defense presentation” whenever he asks them questions.
“But at the end of the day, I really want to be able to say to myself when I look in the mirror, that we have done everything that was humanly possible to address whatever was issued to us,” he said during the 28th Annual Bulong Pulungan Christmas Party and Forum held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in Pasay City.
“And I impress on all the members of this government, and not just in the Executive, that we do bear a responsibility to everybody and we should not have a period where we are regretting that we could have done something and we didn’t choose to do so. So, perhaps that is my way of making sure that everybody is doing the utmost in their respective roles,” he said.
During the Bulong Pulungan, President Aquino also expressed his satisfaction with the presentation made by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) during the NDRRMC meeting.
He said he was also satisfied with the respective presentations of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and the Department of Energy. (Eagle News Service with a report from PND)
