Robredo visits Rizal evacuees; Families cry no one rescued them

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo personally visited families temporarily sheltered at the Kasiglahan Village Elementary School in Rodriguez, Rizal, after low-lying areas in the province were flooded on Thursday.

In a post on her Twitter account, Robredo showed the state of families rescued from rising floodwaters as Typhoon Ulysses spawned massive rains over Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and Southern Luzon.

In the 33-second clip, families being interviewed by Robredo also told her that they were not able to bring anything and that no rescue operations were conducted to bring them to safer areas.

Their complaint contradicted claims by the Office of Civil Defense that the reason for many people being stranded in their homes when Ulysses barreled the mainland Luzon was their stubbornness — supposedly not heeding the government’s advice to evacuate.

Earlier, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) assured residents from the eastern portion of Metro Manila and nearby provinces like Rizal that Robredo herself and the rest of their team are coordinating with government personnel for rescue operations.

Robredo urged netizens to use her social media accounts to provide information about people who may need evacuation through boats, as some floodwaters already exceeded two-story homes in Rizal province. [ac]

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