Negros Oriental News: Negros Oriental Guv Hit for Photo on Relief Goods
Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was flooded with criticisms yesterday for allegedly putting his photo and name on plastic bags containing foods that are being distributed to quake victims in his province.
Many of the criticisms were posted on social networking site Facebook, wherein the photo of a plastic bag of rice had a picture of Degamo.
Ronald Ian Evidente, spokesperson for Kilusang Mayu Uno (KMU), posted on Facebook, “Shame on you Gov. Degamo! Ulaw ulaw sad. di mana imohang personal nga kwarta, buhis mana sa mga tawo. (That was not your personal money. That was from the taxes of the people.) Please share this photo.”
Evidente told the Negros Daily Bulletin in a phone interview: “Our view is that, let us put top priority to the delivery of relief operations which the quake victims badly need now. Let us dispense with politicking.”
John Lopez Aizpuru posted: “Kahuluya!!!!, Sa tion sang kabudlayan kag kasakit sang mga kautoran naton kapanumdum pa sya iya sina? Ang mag take advantage sa situasyon kag unahon pa nya ang iya personal nga ambisyon? Kaswapangan!!!! (What a shame! In times of misery of our people, he still has the nerve to think of that? To take advantage of the situation and put his personal interest and ambition first?)
Romeo Subaldo, a TV reporter, posted: Ang mga naga pila for relief goods, halin sang aga asta mag hapon NAGA PAINIT maka kuha lang isa ka kilo nga bugas, isa ka delata kag isa ka pack sangnoodles...may special pa nga paaman! litrato sang pulitiko kag ngalan sa plastic bag!!! PALAKPAK!!!!!!!!!!!! (Those who are lining up for relief goods have to bear the heat while waiting from morning till afternoon, just to get one kilo of rice, can one sardines and one pack of noodles... with special addition: photo of politician with his name on it!)
Aurelius Ean Lourd posted: “Kaya pala natagalan dumating. nagpaimprenta pa. (So that was why the relief goods took longer to arrive? They have to print the photos.)
Evidente replied: Di lang natagalan, over centralized talaga sa opisina ni Mayor Ernesto Reyes. Lahat ng bigas, gamot at medical assistance nasa bahay niya. Di pinapaakyat sa mga liblib na lugar mga tauhan niya. Ang sabi nila di makaakyat ang sasakyan. Bakit kami nakaakyat. Kailangan ng mga biktima pumunta sa bahay niya para makakuha ng assistance.
Mary Grace Matulac-Villaruz joined the thread: “Eewww! After all, It’s the people’s money!”
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN Bacolod reported that as of 5:30 p.m. yesterday, 35 dead bodies in Negros Oriental were recovered, and 24 are still missing.
The latest bodies recovered were those of a pregnant woman and two children, the TV report said.
ABS-CBN Bacolod also interviewed a 73-year old man whose wife is undergoing treatment for stroke and cancer. They said they are currently staying in a makeshift tent, trying to survive cold nights and rainy days and lacking food and water.*
