President Aquino Defends Self from ‘Lack of Empathy’ Criticism

President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday expressed confusion why some of his critics described him as leader who is lacking empathy to the suffering Filipino people.

“You know I looked for definition of empathy because, actually, I cannot understand if that criticism has basis,” President Aquino said in a media interview during the launching of the Balog-Balog-Multipurpose Project in San Jose, Tarlac.

From Wikipedia, the President said “empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another being is experiencing from within the other being’s frame of reference, i.e., the capacity to place oneself in another’s position.”

He also cited definition of empathy from Merriam-Webster which states: “The feeling that you understand and share another person’s experience and emotions. The ability to share someone [else’s feelings].”

To probe his critics wrong, President Aquino cited two events where he showed ’empathy’ to the suffering victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in November 2013 and of the Zamboanga siege.

In Tacloban City, the President said he and the local government unit (LGUs) officials and fellow national government leaders visited the evacuation centers to assure the people of the government’s assistance three days after the typhoon ravaged Eastern Visayas.

“Nagkulang ba ako sa pag-unawa kung ano ang kondisyon nila, kung ano ang agam-agam nila?,” he asked.

Described as the strongest typhoon to make landfall, Yolanda left over 6,400 people dead and 1.9 million people homeless in Eastern Visayas.

During the Zamboanga siege in September 2013, President Aquino said he went to Zamboanga despite appeal from his security advisers not to proceed due to heavy fighting between the military troops and the 200 rebels from the Moro National Liberation Front.

He did not also allow the call by some sectors to attack the MNLF fighters who used human shields and burned houses while retreating from the military cordon.

“Siguro ano e dapat titingnan ko lang in a positive way. Iyong mga kritiko nagkaroon ng hanap-buhay, e ‘di nakatulong din ako sa kanila, e ‘di okay na rin siguro,” the President said.

The President has been criticized for lack of empathy and compassion when she did not show up during the arrivals honors for the fallen Special Action Forces (SAF) commandos at the Villarmor Air Base early in 2015. (PNA) RMA/JFM