Say what? Lacson draws flak for ‘lazy’ comment
Rehabilitation czar Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Secretary Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday drew flak not for complaining against his fellow Cabinet members but for supposedly equating hunger to laziness.
“Lacson blames the victims of the typhoon for being ‘lazy’ while the government’s projects are ‘on track,’ he fails to see or refuses to see the fact that their projects are anti-people, and not sustainable in nature,” youth group Anakbayan said in a statement.
The militant organization was referring to Lacson’s remarks during a televised press briefing at Malacañang.
Lacson had said that rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” were on track, proof of which was the absence of widespread hunger, illnesses and breakdown of law and order.
Then Lacson commented: “Siguro ‘yung mga nagugutom na lamang ‘yung mga tamad dahil, in the first place, ‘yung area na ‘yon talagang historically ito ‘yung one of the poorest if not the poorest region in the country.”
(Perhaps those who experience hunger are the ones who are lazy because, in the first place, that area is historically one of the poorest if not the poorest region in the country.)
Anakbayan said Lacson was being insensitive to the plight of Yolanda survivors.
“Typhoon Yolanda caused massive devastation to millions of our kababayans in the Visayas especially the poor workers and peasants, with more than 6,000 deaths estimated and P36.662 billion worth of damage… Lacson and (President Benigno) Aquino’s failure in handling the situation in the typhoon-stricken areas in Visayas, plus their statements adds insult to injury,” the group said.
They said Lacson, whom they called incompetent, should realize that “words don’t win wars.”
During the press briefing, Lacson and other officials reported on the achievements on the rehabilitation of typhoon-hit areas.
He said many things are happening on the ground and only a few are complaining against the government.
Lacson also revealed that two Cabinet members involved in the rehabilitation efforts have become a source of frustration for him because of their lack of cooperation.
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