Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, Dec. 21, maintained that she has no agenda in extending help to victims of Typhoon Odette, which flattened hundreds of villages in Visayas and Mindanao provinces late last week.
Robredo said there should be no politics when it comes to helping Filipinos ravaged by calamities such as storms.
“Kaya parati po akong, parati akong grateful pag naa-appreciate ‘yung tulong na binibigay natin kasi wala naman po tayong ibang agenda kundi makatulong sa mga kababayan natin (That’s why I’m always, I’m always grateful when people appreciate the help we provide because we don’t have any other agenda but to help our fellowmen),” she told the media in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental.
This came after Robredo was asked about President Duterte’s alleged “good words” for her, although this was proven fake news by various sources on social media.
The fake quote card showed the President thanking the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for setting aside politics and helping Filipinos in Visayas and Mindanao.
The Vice President was in Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental to visit the province and provide relief assistance to the typhoon victims.
READ: Robredo visits Negros island; delivers aid to stricken communities
“Lagi ko naman pong inuulit na pag panahon ng sakuna dapat nase- (I always say that in times of crisis, we should) set aside namin ‘yung (our) political differences kasi nasa pagtutulong-tulungan lang naman na makakatulong kami nang lalong-lalo sa ating mga kababayan (because it is in helping each other that we can help our fellowmen),” Robredo said.
Robredo first went to Bohol on Friday evening then to Cebu the next day. She also visited Surigao, Siargao Island, and Southern Leyte on Sunday.
In Negros, she provided food packs to the distressed typhoon victims. Robredo will also leave a team there to assess the situation on the ground and see how else the OVP can help.
The death toll caused by Odette rose to 375 on Monday, Dec. 20, officials said.
The typhoon, which is considered to be the strongest to hit this year, made a total of nine landfalls. It first slammed in Siargao on Thursday evening with the last landfall in Palawan on Friday afternoon.