Vice President Leni Robredo Photo by Charlie Villegas / OVP)
MANILA, Philippines — Ideally, the country’s chief executive should be on the ground within 72 hours of a disaster, said Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo on Wednesday.
At the Presidential Job Interview for the DZRH Presidential Job, Robredo touched upon the importance of the presence of the president and members of the Cabinet during an emergency.
“A storm’s most critical moment is when it hits…the first 72 hours are the most critical since the worst effect will be felt there,” she said in Filipino.
She explained that it is vital that the president be on-site to discuss the problems with Cabinet officials to reduce bureaucracy and give effective orders without going to Manila since this is the most pressing matter now.
“Your presence makes the person feel like they’re with you,” she added.
Robredo clarified that a national leader can always take an alternative route to the distressed area without hindering the government’s efforts.
“There’s always a way to do it without distracting anyone. It is difficult, but the presence is symbolic, that the government is there to help you,” she said. “And when you’re with the Cabinet, you’ll make things happen.”
Whenever a major typhoon hits the Philippines, #NasaanAngPangulo goes viral.
During Typhoon Odette, which struck Mindanao on December 16, 2021, netizens quickly brought up the chief executive’s apparent absence, thus the trend.
Both netizens and critics complained that the affected areas were only declared a calamity five days later, on December 21.
President Rodrigo Duterte himself, however, explained that he took so long to declare a state of calamity over areas affected by Odette because he had to wait for reports to arrive before announcing it.
READ: Duterte: ‘Stupid’ protocol of waiting for report delayed state of calamity declaration
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