PGMA, Erap racing to help typhoon victims in WV
While their parties both dismissed any political motives in the distribution of food and other relief aids to typhoon victims in Western Visayas, President Macapagal-Arroyo and ousted president Joseph Estrada have been neck to neck in visiting storm and flooded areas and victims.
The President and Estrada's parties both visited the provinces of Aklan and Iloilo in a span of three days from Monday to Wednesday amid calls for more food, potable water and other assistance to tens of thousands of victims who were left homeless.
Estrada visited storm affected areas in Iloilo last Monday a day before President Macapagal-Arroyo held a joint meeting of the Cabinet and the National Disaster Coordinating Council at the Iloilo airport in Cabatuan town.
The former President was accompanied by opposition leaders former senator Ernesto Maceda and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, whom he introduced several times as one of the opposition's presidential candidates.
They visited the towns of Alimodian, Pavia and Oton distributing relief bags to residents containing rice, noodles and sardines.
"Kung ako pa ang Presidente, tutulungan ko lahat 'yan... ibibigay natin lahat 'yan (If I am still the President, we will help all of them... we will provide everything for them)," Estrada said in a press conference in Iloilo City.
Estrada denied that his visit was timed to coincide with that of the President on Tuesday.
"Hindi kami nag-uunahan (We are not competing)... there is no politics nor politicking in our visit... In times of calamity, we set aside politics... all leaders must join hands," Estrada said.
The President arrived with her Cabinet in Iloilo on Wednesday, a day after Estrada's sortie where she led the meeting of the NDCC at the Iloilo airport. She directed agencies to fast-track the delivery of relief goods to victims on Panay Island and to hasten the rehabilitation efforts.
Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias said that during the meeting, she announced the creation of Task Force Panay to coordinate the rehabilitation programs for areas damage by typhoon "Frank." The task force will be headed by Banias.
In the afternoon, the President and her party proceeded to the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan, the hardest hit area.
Aklan Gov. Carlito Marquez briefed the President on the situation and needs of the province during ceremonies at the Kalibo airport.
The President directed agencies to send more rice and other food assistance to residents. She also instructed the Department of Social Welfare and Development to send tarpaulin tents as temporary shelter for those left homeless.
The next day, Thursday, Estrada visited Ibajay town before proceeding to Kalibo where he again distributed relief goods.
But the President came again around 4 p.m. in Kalibo, her second visit in barely 24 hours. She visited Barangay Mobo only a few kilometers from the Pastrana Park where Estrada's party was also distributing relief goods.
Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico who was with Estrada's party said that the convoys of two parties briefly met on their way to New Washington town.
The group of the former President took a 6 p.m. flight from the Kalibo airport where the President's chopper also took off around the same time, said Suplico.
Suplico denied that they timed Estrada's visit with that of the President.
"We were first to be in Iloilo and in Kalibo. It it seems that (the President) is following us all around Panay," Suplico said in a telephone interview yesterday.
Suplico said Estrada's schedules were made weeks in advance even before the storm and pointed out that the President only arrived on Sunday.
The Iloilo vice governor said there was no politics in the visits. "We just want to help," he said.
But Banias said "it was obvious that whoever is arranging Estrada's visits are using it for political ends."
He said the President came back to Kalibo because "she saw the still visible extent of damage in Kalibo."
Banias said they were not bothered with Estrada's presence a few kilometers from where the President was.
"I'm not even aware if the President knew that Erap was there," said Banias in a telephone interview.
Banias said that aside from distributing relief goods, the President is also looking at the problem in long term especially the rehabilitation efforts.
But even with the pronouncements, rice packs distributed in Kalibo had the picture of the President while communities have been flooded with stubs with Estrada's picture which they said will be used to claim the relief goods.