Roque should be ashamed; no time of “unloading” in the midst of emergency situations – PAMALAKAYA
Manila, Philippines – “While tens of thousands of Filipinos were suffering, calling saints in the middle of ravaging typhoon, the Presidential Spokesperson was having the time of his life like there was no disaster,” According to the militant fisher’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA), lambasting Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque over his viral video singing at a restaurant in Baguio City in the aftermath of Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco), and at the height of massive flooding in the nearby province Cagayan.
“Spox Roque’s dilly-dallying in the midst of a calamity reflects the government’s ineptitude and worthlessness to people’s plight amid disaster. The people’s suffering caused by the successive natural disasters is being aggravated by the national government’s neglect and sheer incompetence,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson said in a statement.
PAMALAKAYA said that while progressive organizations have been quick to respond to typhoon-stricken poor communities, the response of the national government headed by President Rodrigo Duterte has been snail-pace and inadequate.
“Despite the limited resources, people’s organization that are always subject to government’s vilification and red-tagging campaign, are actually at the forefront of humanitarian services in a form of immediate relief assistance to vulnerable families affected by the natural calamities,” Hicap, former Anakpawis Party-list Representative added.
PAMALAKAYA’s Hicap said that various peasant organizations headed by Anakpawis have been conducting “community kitchen and relief distribution since day one”.
On Thursday afternoon, “Tulong Anakpawis” relief drive volunteers provided hot meals to hundreds of evacuees in Marikina City, it was followed by another feeding of hot meals also in Marikina City on the next day. On Saturday, the peasant families affected by the typhoon in Rodriguez, Rizal were served with a full lunch meal. Anakpawis volunteers today will serve hot meals and deliver relief packs to families in Brgy. Malanday, Marikina City.
“No time to unwind when people suffer. Spox Roque should be ashamed of himself; his unloading time amid emergency situation was unbecoming of a public servant,” Hicap slammed.
“We are currently now on our fourth day of relief drive through Tulong Anakpawis. We want to extend our gratitude to our tireless volunteers and donors who keep on supporting our campaign to immediately assist and rehabilitate the lives of typhoon-stricken poor families,” Hicap ended. ###
