Vice Gov. Ferrer says LGUs, Provl Govt doing best to respond to Typhoon victims’ needs

Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer defended the response of mayors in southern Negros to the plight of Typhoon Odette victims, saying the government’s manpower assets were also badly-hit.

Ferrer, in his Sunday program at Aksyon Radyo-Bacolod, said that local government employees were also victims of the typhoon, so that the response was also affected, and was aggravated by the absence of power and communication.

The vice governor was reacting to complaints of delayed response and distribution of food packs by some local government units.

Ferrer said that one or two government official or employee cannot possibly address the destruction caused by the typhoon.
He added that an LGU can only respond effectively when it has personnel to do it.

“Government personnel were victims themselves. Naturally they would have to take care of their own families first,” he pointed out.

“We should understand the situation,” Ferrer said.

He appealed to those affected by the typhoon to be more patient as the government is doing its best to reach and and to bring help to all communities.

Despite the criticism, Ferrer thanked the efforts of local officials and frontliners in helping those severely hit by the typhoon.

He added that the provincial government is doing its best to help the LGUs.

“Let us stop the criticism and instead help in whatever way we can,” he said.* (DGB)