PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the government’s response to the 6.5-magnitude earthquake and the aftershocks that struck Leyte.
In a situation briefing in Ormoc City, Duterte vowed that the money spent on disaster mitigation will not go to waste as in the previous administration.
“I am satisfied with the reports and the actions taken. I hope that we have done something to show to the people that government is working,” Duterte said.
“There is a government, a functioning one. Your money is protected, everything will be put to good use and there will be no corruption in the next five years. I will never ever tolerate corruption.”
The administration is working toward getting the situation in Leyte back to normal, but Duterte said “if there is any lack of immediate response” from the government, that would be because everything was focused on the besieged city of Marawi.
Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said there would be no problems on the release of the needed funds for the rehabilitation of the quake-struck areas, particularly Ormoc and the nearby town of Kananga.
In a separate interview, Duterte said the government was working on how to hasten the delivery of services to the quake-struck areas.
“We are here to help you. The government has programs on how to speed up the delivery of services,” Duterte said in a recorded message through Communications Assistant Secretary Margaux Uson.
On July 6, a magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck at 4:03 p.m. around Jaro town in Leyte but the tremors were felt in most of the Visayas.
It was then followed by another magnitude-5.8 earthquake on June 10 with the epicenter in Ormoc town.
