Robredo off to Bohol to check on areas hit by Typhoon Odette

OVP Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo is on her way to Bohol to personally check the situation on the ground, after the area and nearby province were badly hit by Typhoon Odette.

Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez confirmed this to reporters on Friday, saying the Vice President in the coming days may also fly to other areas that were affected by the typhoon.

“Ngayong araw lumipad na si VP papuntang Bohol, sa susunod na mga araw balak din niyang magpunta’ng Leyte, Cebu, Surigao, at Negros, ‘yong mga lugar na tinamaan ng bagyo,” Gutierrez said on the sidelines of relief operations at Robredo’s volunteer center in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.

Gutierrez said Robredo’s first-hand assessment will provide her office with a better analysis on what assistance a particular area needs the most.

“Alam naman natin si VP, talagang hands-on ang kanyang approach eh, so balak niyang magpunta sa mga areas na tinamaan mismo ng bagyo, makita first-hand at maka-usap ‘yong mga taong tinamaan, at lalong maayos nang mabuti at maging angkop ‘yong kailangang assistance na kailangang ibigay,” he added.

An advisory from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) also showed Robredo making an out-of-schedule trip to Bohol as part of her office’s response to the typhoon.

Earlier, Robredo said that they are converting the volunteer space along Katipunan Avenue, which has been used for her presidential campaign, to a relief operations center that would accommodate donations to be sent out to areas ravaged by Odette.

According to Robredo, they have been monitoring the developments in the southern portions of the country after Odette barreled through the northern portions of the Caraga Region and other parts of Mindanao at its peak strength — with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour.

Robredo is personally supervising relief operations for those affected by Typhoon Odette at her volunteer center in Quezon City.

“Para mas mapabilis ang pagkilos natin, nandito po ako ngayon sa ating Campaign Volunteer Center sa Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, which we will be converting into a relief hub. We also convened our operations center dito, and as we speak, ongoing po ang meetings and close coordination with AFP, PNP, and other units na makakatulong sa rescue operations natin,” she said in a video statement.

“Starting today, puwede na pong mag-drop off ng mga in-kind donations dito. We have also partnered with Tanging Yaman Foundation para sa cash donations mula sa mga gustong tumulong. I-check na lang po sa aming Facebook Page ang link dito,” she added.

As of Friday noon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Odette was able to maintain its strength as it moves closer to mainland Palawan.

Odette is now packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 235 kph.  It is still moving west at 25 kph.

At present, no areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, with Signal No. 3 being raised only over some areas in Luzon and Visayas, particularly Palawan and Iloilo.

/MUF