President Duterte Satisfied with Govt. Response to Typhoon Rosita

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Thursday, November 1, said that he is satisfied with the collective response of the local and national government to Typhoon Rosita.

“I think that everyone is doing his duty. I’d like to thank you for that,” President Duterte said during the situation briefing on Typhoon Rosita at the Hotel Andrea in Cauayan City, Isabela.

President Duterte underlined that there is still much work to be done as he described that the damage caused by the typhoon was extensive. There were also missing persons due to landslides that occurred during Rosita’s onslaught.

The President also suggested to give typhoon victims ready-to-eat food.

“Huwag ninyong bigyan ng kaldero pati planggana. Kasi wala ‘yan silang malutuan and they have to gather the firewood and everything,” he explained.

Typhoon Rosita, with an international name Yutu’ entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday, October 30 and ravaged much of Northern and Central Luzon.

Rosita also brought heavy rains and strong winds in some parts of the regions that resulted in flash floods and landslides, leaving more than 30,000 displaced families and at least 15 confirmed casualties, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Present during the post-disaster briefing were Interior and Local Government Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, and the local officials of areas affected by the typhoon.

President Duterte orders dismissal of cadets involved in oral sex scandal

Meanwhile, during the briefing, President Duterte ordered the dismissal of those police cadets involved in the oral sex punishment scandal in the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) after reading the report about the incident.

“I’m warning you and I will never tolerate this kind na ‘yung hazing. They will be dismissed. I will dismiss you,” President Duterte said.

“I have no place for people [like those cadets]. You know, you give me a soldier from the PMA or the PNPA tapos you grab them of his dignity. You dehumanize him tapos maging official ‘yan…maging general tapos gawain mo ng ganoon,” he added.

“I don’t need that kind of policemen. Not for me. During my time…in my generation…for the next generation of Filipino. You do not train a soldier or a policeman who goes out of the academy with a trauma,” he continued.

The President also reminded the police and the military of their duty, and that is to protect the people and preserve the nation. (PND)