(KING RODRIGUEZ/ Malacañang Photo Bureau)
Palace spokesman Harry Roque on Friday said the public did not need to trend the #NasaanAngPangulo hashtag as President Rodrigo Duterte was virtually monitoring typhoon “Ulysses” as it battered Luzon the past few days.
“Mayroon na po tayong mga pamamaraan para ma-monitor kung ano ang nangyayari sa iba’t ibang lugar ng Pilipinas, ang importante po ay nandiyan po ang pangulo na palagi pong nagsasabi at pinaalalahanan ang lahat ng ahensiya at departamento ng gobyerno, lalung-lalo na po ang Cabinet level response cluster committee, na gawin ang lahat para matulungan po ang mga kababayan nating nangangailangan,” Roque said in a Malacañang briefing.
Roque claimed that the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo, which trended on Twitter as netizens took note of Duterte’s lack of public presence during the Thursday morning onslaught of “Ulysses,” was a gimmick of the opposition.
“Hindi po dapat tanungin nasaan ang pangulo. Iyan po ay kalokohan lang ng oposisyon. Ang presidente po ay hindi nawawala; palagi po natin siyang kapiling, palagi po niyang iniisip ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.
Duterte attended a virtual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit on Thursday morning as “Ulysses” ravaged over parts of Luzon.
Speaking to the public after his Asean address, Duterte said he wanted to swim with victims of typhoon “Ulysses” but was told to prioritize his safety.
“It’s not that I am at a distance from you na may distansya ako ngayon sa inyo. Gusto kong pumunta doon, makipaglangoy nga sa inyo. Ang problema pinipigilan ako kasi raw ‘pag namatay ako, isa lang ang presidente,” he said.
“Sabi ko: ‘E may vice president naman.’ A wala naman silang sinasagot. Nagtitinginan lang sila tapos, ‘Hindi, hindi ka puwedeng mamatay nitong panahon na ito. Kung malunod ka, malulunod kaming lahat na ‘yung nagtatrabaho sa iyo,’” he added.
Meanwhile, Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo was on the ground with typhoon victims on Thursday.
[A] VP Leni visits residents affected by #UlyssesPH in Doña Petra, Brgy. Tumana, Marikina City pic.twitter.com/kAfjDalEaL
— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) November 12, 2020
[A] WATCH: VP Leni visits families evacuated to Kasiglahan Village Elementary School in Rodriguez, Rizal, after the onslaught of #UlyssesPH pic.twitter.com/9uAtGBVCsS
— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) November 12, 2020
“Ulysses” exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility Friday morning. John Ezekiel J. Hirro