Duterte will fly to ‘Ompong’-hit areas — Palace officials

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte answers queries from the members of the media after holding a command conference in preparation for the onslaught of Typhoon ‘Ompong’ at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) office in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on September 13, 2018. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

President Rodrigo Duterte will be visiting the areas affected by Typhoon Ompong as soon as the weather allows him to do so, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. said on Saturday, September 15.

The Chief Executive was not present during the command conference on the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong today at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headquarters in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, but his spokesperson said Duterte is in Manila to monitor the situation.

“I’m not sure where he is exactly right now. But he’s in Manila. He did not leave and is monitoring,” Roque said.

“Knowing him, he will be the first to go to the affected area as soon as the weather will allow his choppers to take off,” he added.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar also echoed Roque’s statement.

“Kanina po kausap ko si Secretary Bong Go (Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go) at ang sabi po ni Secretary Bong Go sa programa namin sa Radyo Pilipinas na oras na magbigay po ng go signal ang CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) ay pupunta mismo, didiretso po ang Pangulo sa mga lugar kung saan ay talagang napinsala nitong bagyong Ompong (I talked to Secretary Bong Go earlier and he said in our program Radyo Pilipinas that once the CAAP gives go signal, the President will directly go to places that were badly hit by Typhoon Ompong),” Andanar said.

Apart from Roque and Andanar, some Cabinet members present at the command conference were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Health Secretary Francisco Duque, and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar.

Duterte earlier dispatched several of his Cabinet secretaries in areas in Luzon, which are on the path of the typhoon, to monitor and give updates on the situation there as he “cannot be everywhere and anywhere.”

Among those who are in the provinces are Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III who is in Cagayan and Isabela, respectively.