HELP WILL ARRIVE. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte tends to the victims of Typhoon Odette as he visits the severely affected areas in the towns of Cebu and Bohol on Dec. 19, 2021. Duterte has appealed for patience and assured the typhoon victims that help is on its way. (Presidential photo by Simeon Celi) MANILA - As provinces hit by Typhoon "Odette" remain without power and water services, President Rodrigo Duterte has appealed for patience and assured the victims that help is on its way. In a speech in Maasin City, Leyte on Saturday, Duterte lamented that bureaucratic red tape was slowing down the distribution of aid in areas ravaged by the typhoon. "I can promise to the people that help will arrive. Just give us a bit more time because there's a lot of paperwork in government. For every move you make, there's a layer of papers that. Government works that way. And if you try to rush things, you may face deeper problems. That's the problem because we can't
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (File photo) MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday appreciated Japan's unending support for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts of the Philippines and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). "We deeply appreciate Japan's continued support for the Philippines' and Asean's Covid-19 mitigation efforts," Duterte said during the virtual 24th Asean-Japan Summit. Duterte said he is grateful that despite the challenges amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Japan stays as a "staunch partner of Asean" in promoting peace and development in the region. He hoped that Asean's ties with Japan would further improve to ensure their "sustainable" recovery from the pandemic. "The pandemic has not weakened our dynamic engagement," Duterte said. "As we gear up for sustainable recovery, we hope to continue working with Japan to fortify regional and global supply cha
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (File photo) MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday appreciated Japan's unending support for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts of the Philippines and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). "We deeply appreciate Japan's continued support for the Philippines' and Asean's Covid-19 mitigation efforts," Duterte said during the virtual 24th Asean-Japan Summit. Duterte said he is grateful that despite the challenges amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Japan stays as a "staunch partner of Asean" in promoting peace and development in the region. He hoped that Asean's ties with Japan would further improve to ensure their "sustainable" recovery from the pandemic. "The pandemic has not weakened our dynamic engagement," Duterte said. "As we gear up for sustainable recovery, we hope to continue working with Japan to fortify regional and global supply cha
Interior of the Bicol International Airport (Presidential Photo) MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has lauded the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its secretary, Arthur Tugade, for the "excellent job" in completing the newly inaugurated Bicol International Airport (BIA) in Daraga, Albay. In his regular Talk to the People televised Tuesday dawn, Duterte said Tugade has accomplished well in improving the transportation sector. "I'd like to commend Tugade for the splendid work that he has done," Duterte said. Duterte, who led the inauguration of the airport last October 7, sees the newly opened airport to provide comfortable transit and better traveling experiences to people going to and from the Bicol Region. The world-class airport, which offers a majestic view of the Mayon Volcano, is equipped with technology-driven and contactless transactions. The project's overall construction cost amounts to PHP4.7 billion. The project has created about 755 jobs
Bicol International Airport(Presidential photo) DARAGA, Albay - President Rodrigo Duterte has lambasted the New People's Army (NPA) for attempting to stall government infrastructure projects that would bring development to the countryside. Duterte, in his speech on Thursday afternoon during the formal opening of the Bicol International Airport (BIA) here, said atrocities by the communist rebel movement delayed the completion of the project. Construction of the BIA, which started in 2009, took 11 years to finish. "This NPA has been overtaken now by modernization, yong sinunog nila dito (those that they burned here) only showed the bankruptcy in their minds," Duterte said, referring to the construction equipment torched by the NPA during the previous years. The President led the inaugural ceremony of the BIA, the first international airport to be built in Southern Luzon, along with Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong