Malacañang officials say Duterte will fly to typhoon-hit areas

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. (File photo by JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

President Rodrigo Duterte is set to fly to areas affected by typhoon “Ompong,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said on Saturday.

Andanar said during the Command Conference of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) at Camp Aguinaldo that the information was passed to him by Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.

“I talked to Secretary Bong Go a while ago in our radio program, and he said that by the time that the CAAP [Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines] gives a go signal to fly, the President will proceed to areas heavily affected by the typhoon,” he said.

Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the President stayed in Manila to monitor the situation.

“But he’s in Manila, he did not leave, and is monitoring.  We’ll see if we can also invite him but knowing him, he will be the first to go to the affected areas as soon as the weather will allow his choppers to take off,” Roque said.

As of 2 p.m., “Ompong” was last spotted at around 110 kilometers west northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.  It has gradually weakened, now with maximum sustained winds of 170 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 260 kph. /jpv