Arroyo: People, leaders must band together

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo: Sympathies and prayers. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The people and their leaders must band together to mobilize resources to help the victims, but the government also needs to reassess its calamity measures once things start getting back to normal following “Yolanda’s” onslaught, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said.

Arroyo extended her sympathies and prayers to the victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda and praised members of the armed forces, relief agencies and local governments who risked life and limb to help the victims of the supertyphoon.

But five days after Yolanda slammed through central Visayas, criticism has emerged that the government has been too slow in bringing much-needed relief items and in restoring a semblance of order to affected areas.

Horribly clueless

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said in a text message: “It appeared that government is horribly clueless, badly inefficient or criminally disorganized.”

According to Zarate, no government official has apparently taken the lead in coordinating relief-and-rescue efforts.

Gabriela Rep. Luz Ilagan noted that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was able to immediately send aid to the devastated provinces. But national agencies have been slow to do so, she added.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, however, said the country must unite to help the suffering victims of Yolanda, and said it was not time to pin the blame on local or national officials.

But Colmenares also said that based on media reports, the government has been slow and inefficient in relief efforts, “considering that five days have already passed since Yolanda struck.”

Coming in trickles

“Relief goods have been pouring in from Day 1 but the victims have yet to get them. Billions have already been donated but funds given to the storm-struck areas are coming in trickles,” he said.

Arroyo, in a statement, said immediate efforts must focus on helping the victims.

“We enjoin our nation and our leaders to join hands in single-minded effort to mobilize people and resources at home and across the globe for the succor, sustenance and upliftment of our kababayan in the Visayas. No other concern is of greater importance,” she said.

Later, there is a need to determine whether the government’s program to address the effects of calamities has to be changed, she said.

“Once the stricken lands have seen a semblance of normalcy and the beginnings of rehabilitation, the government and key sectors must review our calamity measures, especially those envisioned under the climate change and national disaster risk reduction and management laws, to ensure that they are proceeding well,” she said.