Duterte names Tolentino his ‘conduit’ for ‘Ompong’ preps, disaster response

Francis Tolentino. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday afternoon designated Francis Tolentino, presidential adviser on political affairs, as his “conduit” for preparations and disaster response on typhoon “Ompong.”

Duterte made the announcement during the command conference with weather and disaster agencies as well as other government officials at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) operations center in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

“May I ask Atty. Tolentino, si Francis just to be my conduit … I maybe around somewhere, I may decide to go out I really do not know so tayo nalang (ang mag-usap),” he said.

Tolentino is a former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman and a defeated senatorial candidate in the 2016 polls.

The President then asked NDRRMC members to stay in constant communication with each other during the height of Ompong’s onslaught.

Duterte also suggested the use of one dedicated radio line for all government agencies, including the Department of National Defense, and another for the military and police for central communications, noting that cellular networks can breakdown during disasters.

“During a crisis, ‘pag puno ang tawagan, nag-overheat ang cellphone. Hindi makatawag… the use of cellphones becomes inutile at some point,” he said. /kga