The ill feelings of the people towards the government's failure to respond to recent disasters in the Visayas are natural and understandable, Vice President Sara Duterte said on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

“Natural na sumama yung loob, magka-trauma, magka-phobia, magalit ang mga tao dahil ang expectation nila (It’s natural they are disgusted, they get traumatized and have phobia, they get angry because their expectation) is that government would work for them. And in this case they feel as if this government failed them,” she said in Liloan, Cebu.

“So understandable, naiintindihan natin yung nararamdaman ng mga tao (we understand what people are feeling),” she pointed out.

The Vice President made the remarks when asked to respond to the public outrage over the deaths and devastation caused by Tino onslaught.

Government and local officials, especially those in Cebu, were called out by people in social media platforms over the massive flooding which left many barangays submerged and families displaced.

Duterte called for an investigation into the causes of widespread flooding in Cebu as she said she felt “very sad” for what happened to the province.

“So managot dapat. Simulan ng local government unit yung pag-iimbestiga bakit nangyari, kung paano nangyari at kung ano yung solusyon (So someone must be held accountable. The local government unit must start the investigation on why it happened, how it happened, and what’s the solution),” she said.

“Kasi dito natin makikita yung mga kailangan gawin hindi lang ng local government unit kasama ng barangay, kasama ng provincial government, kung ano yung kailangan dun para hindi na maulit (Because we can see here what must be done not only by the local government unit but also by the barangay, provincial government, in order to prevent a repeat of the disaster),” she explained

The official visited storm survivors in Liloan and Danao City, the two areas devastated by Typhoon Tino in Cebu, to bring relief aid and financial assistance to them.

Many displaced victims have been taking shelters at the Liloan Central School and D.T Durano Elementary School after their homes and properties were swept away by floods.

Duterte also visited the wake of some residents who perished in the severe flooding. Each bereaved family received P15,000 in cash from her office, she said.