Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, Dec. 21, flew to Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, to bring relief aid and leave a team there for the assessment of the situation on the ground amid the devastation left by Typhoon “Odette”.
She made a surprise visit to Negros Oriental, though she has already been in contact with the local officials there before the super typhoon hit.
Robredo met with Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Remollo before proceeding to the northern part of the province by helicopter.
In the Facebook live account of Vice Governor Edward Mark Macias, Robredo said that they will be leaving a team behind to visit the other affected towns in the province.
The Vice President visited Barangay Tambacan in Bais City and Suba in Manjuyod, which suffered heavy damage and casualties due to the typhoon.
Robredo, together with Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher 'Kit' Belmonte, her ally from the Liberal Party, was also welcomed by Negros Oriental First District Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong.
In Negros Occidental, the aspiring president was joined by TV host-actress Kris Aquino, youngest sister of the late former President Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino III.
They were seen together during the relief operations in the cities of Kabankalan and Himamaylan.
Like in Manjuyod town, Robredo said her office will also be leaving a team behind to continue their disaster relief operations.
“Ngayon ang dala namin food pero kaya maiiwan ‘yung team kasi (What we delivered now is food, but the team will stay behind because), it will determine kung anong iba pang kailangan (the other needs),” she said.
“Ganoon po kami mag (That’s our) disaster relief operations since 2016. Hindi po kami ‘yung pupunta isang bagsak tapos na. Hindi po umaalis ‘yung mga teams namin sa mga lugar na tinutulungan namin hanggang hindi pa tapos ‘yung pangangailangan (We don’t go to a place just to give one-time aid. Our teams don’t leave until we complete their needs),” she added.
Robredo was grateful to Aquino for her support during the relief operations in the cities of Kabankalan and Himamaylan.
“Actually po, napakaraming artista ngayon na nag-pledge ng (many artists have pledged their) support. In fact, iba sa kanila nagrerepack sa volunteer center natin (the others are repacking in our volunteer center),” she said.
Earlier, Aquino revealed delaying several projects so she can join a presidential candidate in the campaign trail. Though she didn’t mention her name, the actress gave “pink” as the clue. Pink is Robredo’s campaign color.
On Instagram, Aquino said that she and actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin have been texting each other on how they can help the typhoon victims. She also revealed communicating with Robredo about the extent of the damages in the provinces that she visited.
Robredo first went to Bohol on Friday, Dec. 17, then to Cebu City. She also visited Surigao, Siargao Island, and Southern Leyte on Sunday.
READ: Robredo sees ‘heartbreaking’ devastation in Siargao, Dinagat Islands
She went back to Quezon City on Monday to report about the situation on the ground and she then visited Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo, provinces still without power and phone signal.