Tacloban Mayor hits Aquino for remark

One of the hardest-hit areas of Typhoon Yolanda got caught in a clash between leaders of rival families. On his visit to Tacloban City on Sunday, November 17, President Benigno Aquino turned his anger on local officials whom, he said, did not prepare enough for the super typhoon. Aquino said the second-class town of Guiuan did better than Tacloban: disaster officials said at least 0.31% of Tacloban residents died because of the typhoon, while only 0.21% died in Guiuan. But Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said the President insults the dead. He added, “Perhaps I can say that Metro Manila was prepared for Yolanda because the typhoon didn’t hit it. But what about us, how can we be that prepared? Will we still insult the dead, and say they died because they were unprepared?” He also said the national government should revamp its response to disasters.


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