Sen. JV Ejercito holds a media briefing Thursday, July 28, 2022, on various issues, as well as his priority measures for the 19th Congress. He also discussed his bill which seeks to create the Department of Disaster Resilience, especially in the wake of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck the Ilocos Region. (Joseph Vidal and Albert Calvelo/ Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator JV Ejercito on Thursday said the Senate leaders are planning to visit areas and reach out to victims of the powerful earthquake that hit the northern part of the country on Wednesday, but not for now.
Ejercito, a recently elected deputy majority leader in the Senate, said senators would just let the local officials handle the situation first, especially when they are currently doing rescue and clearing operations.
“Siyempre, hahayaan muna natin ang mga local officials to do their part. Kasi sabi nga namin, wag muna tayo pumunta kasi ano eh, makakadistract lang tayo in the rescue efforts,” Ejercito told reporters.
(Of course, we would let local officials do their part before going to the area because we will just interrupt the rescue efforts).
He also said it would be better if the Senate leaders would go to the areas already prepared on important things to share with the victims and the local governments than go there without any plans.
Ejercito agreed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stand on not going to the affected areas to make way for rescue operations to continue and not hamper local operations.
Marcos said he was “staying away” from going to the quake-hit areas to let the local government officials handle the situation first.
“It has been my experience as a governor. It has been my experience in Yolanda that when the national officers come to the affected areas, ginugulo lang namin ang trabaho ng mga local,” Marcos said.
(It has been my experience as a governor, my expertise in Yolanda that when the national officers come to the affected areas, we are just interrupting the work of locals [officers]).
Marcos only went to the affected areas on Thursday morning. Andy Hoo, INQUIRER.net trainee
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