Romualdez sends condolences to South Korea envoy over deadly flash floods
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)
House Speaker Martin Romualdez has personally expressed his condolences and message of sympathy to the people of South Korea through their Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa over the loss of lives from flash floods and landslides in the country. Romualdez did so on Wednesday, July 19 during Lee's courtesy call to the Filipino official at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City. “I know that recently there was a flash flood in south korea and I know there are a number of casualties. So, we’d like to condole with the people of South Korea who suffered these losses, these casualties,” Romualdez told Lee. He noted that South Korea was among the first countries to send aid and rescuers to the Philippines when Super Typhoon Yolanda struck the province of Leyte and nearby areas in 2013. Yolanda, the strongest typhoon on record at that time, caused massive destruction and the deaths of over 6,000 people. Romualdez pointed out that while South Korea and the Philippines are different in many ways, they are similarly vulnerable to the threats posed by nature, particularly with the effects of climate change. “We go through these all the time,” said Romualdez, citing parallels between the South Koreans' forced evacuation from surging floods and Filipinos' own evacuation away from Mayon Volcano due to its continuing restiveness. “I know now that in the Central City of Cheongju in South Korea that there have been torrential rains and flash floods. So again, we condole with the Korean people for the loss of lives, for the injuries, and of course to the evacuees,” the Speaker added. The envoy expressed his gratitude to Speaker Romualdez, saying his expression of solidarity and sympathy with the people of South Korea “means a lot". “I highly appreciate your words of condolences and sympathy and solidarity,” Ambassador Lee told Romualdez, noting that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. had also expressed his condolences to the people of South Korea. Reports said that at least 40 people have died, while 34 others were injured and more than 10,000 people have had to evacuate from their homes since July 9 amid heavy rains in South Korea.