Aquino urges Filipinos to leave landslide-prone areas
MANILA, Philippines—President Aquino appealed to Filipinos living in landslide-prone communities to leave those areas for good to spare the country’s rescue personnel from being placed in danger during heavy rains, cyclones and other disasters.
Mr. Aquino made the remark as tropical storm Juaning moved across Luzon.
“I’m asking for cooperation from our countrymen. When it’s dangerous, you no longer ask if something untoward will happen in that area. The only question is, when will something bad happen,” President Aquino told reporters in an interview.
President Aquino said rescue workers’ lives were being placed in danger whenever they returned to vulnerable areas to help people evacuate during disasters.
“With added cooperation, we empathize with the members of the (Office of Civil Defense) that help them evacuate when there is danger,” President Aquino said.
“Let’s not ask them to go back twice or thrice. Sometimes, they even return five times so they can rescue. They are being placed at too much risk to help our countrymen,” he added.
According to President Aquino, 66 out of the 80 provinces have areas that are considered high-risk during heavy rains.
He said Environment Secretary Ramon Paje told him that somewhere in the Cordilleras, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources put up a sign that said it was dangerous to put up homes in the area.
“It was really prone to landslides. The problem is the sign is being ignored. People still keep on putting up houses,” President Aquino said.
“The risk to lives that could be avoided wasn’t considered and was ignored,” he added.
President Aquino said he had been receiving briefings on the effects of the storm and, so far, no local government unit has reported to him that they were left unassisted when they needed help.
“The giving of updates continues on the weather itself, the track and effects, so far. So I am waiting for data that it says more assistance is needed (in an area),” President Aquino said.
“But so far, as a I can see, they have been performing already before the typhoon strikes,” he added.
President Aquino, however, expressed sadness over the deaths caused by the storm.
He said the government has been fast tracking the country’s disaster risk mitigation system.
