Aquino tells unidentified gov’t execs to deliver or resign

10 years ago | Posted in: Latest Politics News | 650 Views

MANILA, Philippines—Expect heads to roll in the coming days as the President’s patience is wearing thin over the seemingly disjointed efforts, particularly at the local level, to help victims of disasters since December 2012.

President Benigno Aquino III appealed Tuesday for more patience from disaster victims amid the overwhelming challenges confronting his administration in the aftermath of back-to-back calamities that overshadowed the sterling economic growth under his watch.

“Now, let me say this again, the problem is enormous—more than half of our provinces were affected—and I think the government demonstrated that we may not have been perfect, and I’ll admit that, but to say that we didn’t exercise a maximum effort, that’s a bit of a stretch,” he told reporters in Cebu City.

He noted that Supertyphoon Yolanda alone, the strongest storm to ever hit land, affected 44 of the Philippines’ 81 provinces, leaving the government with the herculean task of taking care of 16 million Filipinos.

But the President could not hide his exasperation over the pace of rehabilitation efforts in some areas.

When reporters chanced upon him in Cebu City, where he presided over the country’s celebration of the 28th anniversary of Edsa People Power Revolution, a peeved Aquino demanded that power be fully restored in Davao Oriental, which bore the brunt of Typhoon Pablo in December 2012.

On Monday, Mr. Aquino had a town hall meeting in Cateel, Davao Oriental, to touch base with victims of Pablo and check on the resettlement site constructed by the government.

The provincial governor, Corazon Malanyaon, complained to the Chief Executive in a speech that electricity in 24 barangays, or 57 percent of the province, had yet to be restored, more than a year since Pablo barreled through Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur.

In a clear warning to some officials he did not identify by name, Mr. Aquino gave them until next week to comply.

“We have work to do; do your job or (you’ll be) sorry,” he said in the interview, a transcript of which the Malacañang press office released to reporters.

Mr. Aquino admitted to the media that he was surprised that power had not been restored in Davao Oriental.

“I am now asking all the concerned departments—why one year, over a year later” and still no power in many places.

“There’s finger-pointing, blame-tossing around as to who should be responsible,” he noted. “Now, I let the concerned agencies feel that I’m not happy with them: “When would electricity be made widely available, or when would you submit your resignation?”

From Cateel, the President proceeded on the same day to inspect bunkhouses and a memorial hospital in Loon, Bohol, where a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck on Sept. 15, 2013.

The following day, Tuesday, he presided over the anniversary celebration at the Cebu provincial capitol of People Power Revolution that propelled his mother to the presidency in 1986… see more

source: inqirer

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