AN OFFICIAL on Monday slammed Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II for tagging along with President Benigno Aquino III during a relief operation in Northern Samar on Wednesday, saying it was premature campaigning.
“Calamity victims don’t need Roxas or any high-ranking government official,” Rep. Fernando Hicap said in a statement in reference to the people affected by Typhoon “Nona.”
“They need fast relief and rehabilitation work and not a high-profile relief stunt that is clearly part of the Aquino administration’s premature campaigning in favor of its presidential bet.”
Roxas, who also visited Nona’s victims in Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan the same day, denied he had been campaigning prematurely.
“I’m happy to see that the relief efforts here are organized and our countrymen here are getting help,” he said.
But Hicap criticized the Aquino administration “for not having a sense of urgency to help Typhoon Nona victims who mostly affected the provinces of Northern Samar, Sorsogon, Mindoro, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija.”
“This administration truly never learned from the deadly and destructive effects of previous typhoons especially typhoon Yolanda. It continues to make a lackluster performance in terms of speedy relief and construction effort.
“Typhoon Nona’s victims will spend this Yuletide season in the evacuation areas, and adding to their burden is the slow delivery of services by the government.”