A typhoon survivor walks past signs pleading for help in the San Jose fishing village on the outskirts of Tacloban on the eastern Philippine island of Leyte yesterday, one week after Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the area.
TACLOBAN: Philippine President Benigno Aquino yesterday blamed the slow response to the ravages of Typhoon Haiyan on the total collapse of local government in the face of the storm’s unprecedented destructive power.
“The systems failed,” Aquino acknowledged as he toured areas devastated by the super typhoon that smashed through the central Philippines on November 8, killing thousands and laying waste to entire towns and villages.
“We had a breakdown in power, a breakdown in communications... a breakdown in practically everything,” Aquino told reporters.
The president, who was criticised for the initial delay in getting relief to the worst-hit areas, argued that the local authorities had primary responsibility as first responders.
“But the destructive force of this typhoon was of such a magnitude that even those personnel... were themselves victims,” he said.
“So we have to admit, there was a breakdown in terms of government and there was a cascading effect,” said Aquino.
As of Monday the official death toll stood at 3,976 with 1,602 people missing. The United Nations estimates up to four million people have been displaced.
The United Nations expressed fear on Monday that some Philippine islands hit by a giant typhoon have not been reached 10 days after disaster struck.
“As of now, personally, I am not so sure that we’ve reached every single portion of the territory where people are in need of aid,” said Bernard Kerblat, UN High Commissioner for Refugees representative for the Philippines,.
“And, in fact, I wouldn’t be surprised that unfortunately that there might still be, as I’m speaking to you, day 11 of this disaster, there might be still very isolated islands.”
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