Vice President Sara Duterte –INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Thursday finally broke its silence about the foreign trip taken by Vice President Sara Duterte and her family shortly after midnight on July 25, the day government efforts were to focus on disaster response amid the widespread flooding caused by Supertyphoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi).
In a statement, the OVP said Duterte went on a “personal trip” to Germany and that she was granted travel authority by Malacañang on July 9.
“The timing of the trip coinciding with Typhoon Carina is unfortunate. Nonetheless, the Disaster Operations Center of the OVP, institutionalized by the Vice President, is always ready to assist families affected by calamities,” the OVP said.
As of Thursday afternoon, the OVP has extended assistance to individuals and families taking shelter in at least nine evacuation centers in Manila, the Inquirer learned.
On Wednesday, the OVP initially declined to confirm or give additional details of Duterte’s flight or the nature of her trip. ‘Lack of empathy, concern’
The day saw netizens criticizing her absence at a time when government agencies were being mobilized as Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon went underwater due to the heavy monsoon rains induced by Carina.
Some social posts drew comparisons between today’s OVP and the time of Vice President Leni Robredo, who personally oversaw relief efforts during calamities and gave situational updates.
Robredo on Wednesday reactivated her nongovernmental organization Angat Buhay for relief operations in several provinces hit by the typhoon. The group also revived Bayanihan E-Konsulta, an online medical consultation service provided by volunteer doctors.
READ: Metro Manila now under state of calamity due to Typhoon Carina
Following the OVP statement, Liberal Party chair and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said Duterte pushing through with her family trip showed an “appalling lack of empathy and concern” at a time when “hundreds of thousands of Filipinos (are) in agony and despair.”
“It is not an excuse that the trip has long been planned and she has a travel authority. It does not justify her leaving the country at a time of crisis,” Lagman said. “She should have allowed the members of her family to go ahead with the trip and she could have just followed after attending personally to the needs of the victims as is expected of a genuine public servant.”
“The sincerity of public leaders must be gauged by their selflessness and support in times of nationwide calamities and emergencies,” the opposition lawmaker said. —With a report from Krixia Subingsubing