MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is planning to visit areas badly hit by super typhoon “Odette” this weekend, including Iloilo City and Bacolod City in Western Visayas.
During a situational report he presided in Malacañang on Friday, President Duterte said he was planning to personally go to the two Region 6 cities by Sunday.
“I would hit (on Saturday), maybe Leyte, Surigao, and if there’s enough time, Bohol. Then the day after I would try to visit Cebu then dito sa eastern side of the islands – Bacolod, Iloilo,” Duterte said.
He added: “I’m not so much worried about the infrastructure of the government. Ang takot ko is itong maraming namatay. I am as eager as you to go there to see for myself.”
Iloilo City and Bacolod City were among the areas in Western Visayas that were hit by “Odette”. Large parts of them were still without electricity and mobile phone signals.
President Duterte also admitted that the national government’s budget for relief was depleted due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
But he said that he already told the Department of Budget and Management to find ways to have a fund that can serve as relief to the typhoon victims.
“I am worried about lack of funds to assist the victims. They (the funds) would come, they would not come, but itong CSOVID, naubos ang pera natin,” the Chief Executive said.
“We’re trying to scrimp how much we can raise so that we can marshal it to the areas affected,” he stressed.
“Odette” was the 15th typhoon to hit the country this year. It made nine landfalls since Thursday and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday./PN