#UlyssesPH: Robredo calls for rescue vehicles; Duterte talks about climate justice in Asean

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday went on Twitter to call for rubber boats to be lent to local government units “overwhelmed” amid the onslaught of typhoon “Ulysses.”

Robredo said her office had noted all calls for rescue and relayed them to different rescue teams.

Netizens used social media sites as emergency hotlines after phone lines were disabled amid the cyclone.

The hashtags #RescuePH, #FloodPH and #ReliefPH were used to report individuals in need of rescue, flooded areas and those needing relief assistance.

President Rodrigo Duterte also conducted an aerial inspection of areas hit by “Ulysses.”

Speaking before Southeast Asian leaders in a virtual summit, Duterte called for climate justice, citing the country’s sufferings amid typhoons “Rolly” and “Ulysses.”

“This calamity is yet another stark reminder of the urgency of collective action to combat the effects of climate change. We must therefore further enhance our cooperation on disaster risk reduction management to reinforce our capacities, both at the national and regional levels,” he said in the 37th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit.

“More importantly, we must amplify our voices to demand climate justice from those most responsible for this existential challenge we face today. Developed countries must lead in deep and drastic cuts in carbon emissions. They must act now, or it would be too late. Or if I may say addedly, it is too late,” he added.

Duterte left the summit early to survey the typhoon’s aftermath but returned after the inspection.

Evacuation and relief operations for typhoon victims were hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has infected 402,820 Filipinos as of Nov. 12. John Ezekiel J. Hirro