Palace on being ‘alarmist’ over Yolanda: “Better safe than sorry’

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma. Photo from https://pcoo.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines – “It’s better than safe than sorry,” Malacañang said Friday in reaction to criticisms that it was being “alarmist” when it took measures early against supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan).

“I’m sure you agree with the saying ‘it’s better safe than sorry.’ The life of every Filipino citizen is very important that’s why if we can save even just one, that is important,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma said in Filipino in a televised press briefing.

Coloma said the Palace was still aiming for “zero casualty” policy in disaster situations even if this was “ambitious and unrealistic”.

“We want to improve as we face continuing challenges due to [the] phenomenon of climate change and we are determined to achieve zero casualty,” he said.

As the government’s first line of response, rescue teams from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) will prioritize areas affected with storm surges and heavy flooding, Coloma said.

“The President wants us to be ‘timely’ when giving relief supplies. As of now, the public have nothing to worry about because we are doing our best to be proactive all the time,” he added.

Attending to his regular schedule, Coloma said President Benigno Aquino III was currently monitoring the situation as Yolanda moved around the country.

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