Soliman denies campaigning for LP during typhoon ‘Lando’

Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman denied accusations that she was campaigning for the Liberal Party (LP) during the onslaught of typhoon “Lando” in the country.

“Nakalulungkot na ginagamit ang mga kalimidad gaya nito bilang oportunidad na patamaan ang gobyerno upang maiusad lamang ang kanilang interes,” Soliman said in a statement on Wednesday.

(It is saddening that a calamity like this was being used as an opportunity to attack the government to push their own interests.)

Quicho, in a statement on Tuesday, questioned Soliman’s decision to attend the event in South Cotabato despite relief efforts in Luzon. He pointed out that Soliman accompanied the ruling Liberal Party’s standard bearers – former senator and Interior secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Camarines Sur representative Leni Robredo – to the event, which was attended by 5,000 beneficiaries of the government’s anti-poverty program.

“The DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and its programs should not be the domain of partisan politics and politicians,’ Quicho said.

“As Secretary of the DSWD, she should be leading from the frontlines for the relief and recovery of our kababayans affected by Lando,” Quicho said. “She is not doing that. She is instead leading the campaign of the LP bets.”

Although Soliman confirmed that she was in Cotabato on the said day, she said the DSWD has been preparing for the typhoon as early as October 14.

She said Roxas and Robredo were invited as resource speakers in the program. After the event, she said she flew back to Manila on the same day.

“I would like to share that as early as October 14, the disaster response team of DSWD has been at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Operations Center (NDRRMC) when the council was still on blue alert,” she said.

She said personnel of the DSWD had been “working round-the-clock to prepare for the relief operations and ensure that the local government units (LGUs) in the typhoon path have stockpiles of relief items.”

The DSWD, she said, had prepositioned around 120,383 family food packs and P117,884,769.03-worth of food and non-food items readily available at their field officer before the typhoon battered Luzon.

Last October 16, she said that she attended a briefing with the President and continued to work with colleagues in planning and implementing the disaster response plan.

“Kinukwestiyon nila ang ating pamumuno ngayong ‘Lando’ gayong kahit ang United Nations ay kinilala ang mga paghahandang ginawa ng pamahalaan,” Soliman said.

(They are questioning our administration during ‘Lando,’ but even the United Nations recognized the preparation made by the government.)

“Given these, I believe that not only the management but the whole Department has successfully led the relief and recovery efforts, and even the preparation and planning phases,” she added.

Amid the accusations, Soliman said the agency is focused and dedicated in helping the victims of the typhoon.

“Sa gitna ng mga ito, patuloy ang ating dedikasyon sa pagseserbisyo at pagtulong sa mga naapektuhan ng mga nabagyo. Nawa ay ito rin ang pagtuonan ng ibang grupo,” she said.

(Despite all of these, our dedication to serve and to help those affected by the typhoons continues. Hopefully, this will also be the focus of the other groups.) RAM

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