Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade urged political aspirants to stop politicizing the aftermath of typhoon “Odette”.
ARTHUR TUGADE — The Transportation secretary recently urged political aspirants to stop politicizing the aftermath of typhoon “Odette”.
Tugade recently urged political aspirants to refrain from politicizing the relief operations to areas ravaged by typhoon “Odette” as he claimed that his agency, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), has been helping those affected without publicity.
On Monday, Tugade said in a statement that his agency has aided areas affected by the typhoon without publicity, “unlike political aspirants” who “apparently took advantage of the situation to advance their election campaigns” in 2022.
Tugade didn’t name names in his statement, but among those who immediately responded to calls for assistance were presidential aspirants Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Manny Pacquiao.
“Let us stop politicizing the aftermath of Odette. ‘Wag na nila ibandera kung sino ang naunang gumawa […] Hindi dapat mamulitika,” Tugade said. “This is one time na dapat ay magsama-sama tayo […] Habang nagdadaldal ang marami, ang DOTr, gumagawa ng tahimik.”
READ ALSO: Sue Ramirez Appeals For Help For Her Hometown Ravaged By “Odette”
Tugade also said that his agency, along with their attached agencies, were working together even before the typhoon’s landfall.
He added that his agency has placed the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on high alert in preparation for “Odette”.
“Ang DOTr, kasama ang aming mga attached agencies, ay nagsagawa ng pre-emptive measures bago pa man humagupit ang Odette,” Tugade said. “Nandoon kami bago tumama, habang tumatama, at matapos tumama ang Odette sa Pilipinas.”
Aside from Tugade, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go recently appealed to the presidential aspirants to help the victims of the typhoon and set aside politics during these times.
For more news and updates, you may feel free to visit this site more often. You may also visit Newspapers.ph via our official Facebook page and YouTube channel.