OVP confirms VP Sara's trip abroad amid Carina and Habagat, says timing 'unfortunate'

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Thursday said that Vice President Sara Duterte is currently on a personal trip with her family overseas.

In a statement, the OVP said the timing of Duterte's departure during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon in Luzon was "unfortunate." 

The OVP, however, emphasized that her trip "received the necessary approvals, as evidenced by the travel authority issued by the Office of the President dated 09 July 2024."

"The timing of the trip coinciding with Typhoon Carina is unfortunate. Nonetheless, the Disaster Operations Center of the OVP, institutionalized by the Vice President, is always ready to assist families affected by calamities," the OVP said.

The OVP did not specify which country Duterte and her family have gone to, but several news reports say they flew to Germany. 

Despite this, the OVP said that it continues to provide assistance to people who were affected by Carina and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat. 

Duterte’s ally, Senator Imee Marcos, defended the Vice President and said that the latter’s trip was “personal” and was planned ahead of time.

“Matagal nang plano ‘yun at hindi naman niya alam na may bagyo, pambihira naman,” Marcos said in an ambush interview in Manila.

(It was planned a long time ago. How could she know that there was going to be a storm?)

“At nakita naman natin ang unang umaksyon ‘yung OVP sa totoo lang. Nagkalat na ‘yung mga naka-preposition na pagkain, mga gamot, damit, ikinalat na sa iba’t ibang lugar at palagay ko talagang nakatutok naman sila,” she added.

(The OVP was among the first to respond. There were already pre-positioned food, medicine, and clothes. It seems that they were really monitoring the situation.)

As of Wednesday, the office said it prepositioned goods for about 6,700 families initially.

Its Disaster Operations Center (DOC) distributed hot meals to the disaster responders in Barangay Manresa, Quezon City, as well as relief bags to 300 families evacuated to Manresa Covered Court. 

Each of OVP’s relief boxes contained food packs, hygiene kits, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets (kulambo), slippers, expandable water jugs, and other necessities.

The OVP’s DOC leads all disaster response activities of the agency and coordinates closely with local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMC). —Giselle Ombay/ KBK/ VAL, GMA Integrated News