Local politics still a problem in rehab efforts, says Lacson

Rehabilitation czar Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Rehabilitation czar Panfilo Lacson on Monday said that local politics remains among the biggest challenges in the rehabilitation of typhoon-hit areas.

“Ang mga challenges mostly sa local. Ang mga local politics…alam naman natin dun medyo mababaw yun pulitika doon. Pag kalabang mayor eh hindi pinapansin yung bayan,” Lacson said during a Palace press briefing.

(The challenges are mostly local. In local politics…we know that politics there has little depth. If the mayor is from a rival political group, his town is neglected by officials.)

But Lacson said he had already met with local government units.

“Kung gusto nyong parusahan yung kalaban nyong mayor ang nadadamay kasi yung constituents,” he recalled telling the officials.

(If you want to punish the rival mayor, it’s the constituents who suffer.)

Nevertheless, the rehabilitation czar said they were receptive to his points and had even asked their help to address problems in their area.

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