Sara Duterte visits quake victims in Sarangani
WHERE IS THE VP? She’s here comforting families affected by Monday’s massive earthquake in Sarangani province, according to the Office of the Vice President, which released this photo on Wednesday.
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has visited Malapatan in Sarangani province and General Santos City, areas hit hard by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake on Monday, her office said on Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) said Duterte “personally visited” the families who lost loved ones, as well as those confined in hospitals. It also shared photos of the Vice President speaking to disaster victims.
Before the post, the public questioned Duterte’s disaster response and her whereabouts due to a lack of public appearance in the two days since the earthquake struck Mindanao, considered her family’s political stronghold.
READ: What is VP Duterte doing as Mindanao reels from massive quake?
“Earlier today, I extended my condolences, along with those of the entire Office of the Vice President and our family, to the families of those who lost loved ones in the earthquake,” said Duterte in an interview in General Santos City.
Duterte and her father Rodrigo Duterte, previously served as Davao City mayor before they were elected to national posts.
Food trucks
Before Wednesday’s post, the Vice President was last seen in public participating in Brigada Eskwela 2026 activities in Baybay City, Leyte, on June 5.
On June 9, the OVP said it had already sent food trucks a day earlier to provide hot meals to frontliners and rescuers in General Santos City.
Duterte said she and the OVP have been carrying out relief efforts in the affected areas since the earthquake struck.
“We deployed the food truck to General Santos City, where it prepared hot meals for first responders and rescuers working at collapsed buildings,” she said.
She added that the OVP also distributed food and non-food assistance to displaced residents. /cb
HELP MINDANAO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS
The Inquirer Foundation is calling for support for communities devastated by the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.
In partnership with the Philippine Red Cross, the foundation is amplifying appeals for food, clean water and other critical assistance for affected families.
Donors may send contributions directly to the Philippine Red Cross through its official transfer channels, the complete list is available on the PRC’s Facebook page.
The Philippine Red Cross has activated its emergency fund campaign and deployed teams on the ground to provide medical services, distribute relief goods and extend psychosocial support to affected families.
