— Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (right) presses hands with admirers during his speaking engagement at the Unibersidad de Manila on Wednesday. Marcos is touring universities to talk about the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which his committee handles in the Senate. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. blamed Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman for the wastage of food packs and sacks of rice discovered dumped in Dagami, Leyte.
Marcos said the DSWD chief had admitted the rice and food packs were from the DSWD warehouses but clarified that they were intended to be distributed to those affected by typhoons “Ruby” and “Glenda” last year and not for survivors of super-typhoon “Yolanda” that directly hit eastern Visayas, including Tacloban city, two years ago.
Her cited reports quoting Soliman that the DSWD is investigating why the relief goods were not given out.
Marcos’ mother, the former First Lady and currently Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, is from, Tacloban City.
Marcos stressed that Soliman cannot simply toss the responsibility for this mess to her underlings.
‘’She is the one ultimately responsible,” Marcos said.
‘’The DSWD claimed it has learned its lesson and even acquired a mechanized repacking system and yet this unconscionable wastage of relief goods continues to happen,” Marcos deplored.
“According to Soliman the goods buried in the area are no longer fit for human consumption. Initial reports estimates that around 500 sacks of spoiled rice were disposed in a 10-feet wide, 15-feet deep hole dug in Dagami,” he pointed out.
“Can you imagine how many typhoon victims the DSWD could have helped with such amount of relief goods? Surely, those responsible for this are unfit as public servants. Someone should be held accountable,” Marcos said.(MNS)