President Duterte visits areas hit by Super Typhoon Rolly

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 2) — President Rodrigo got a first-hand look at the damage caused by Super Typhoon Rolly during a visit to Guinobatan, Albay on Monday

The President was accompanied by Senator Bong Go, who visited a barangay where houses were buried by lahar from Mayon Volcano.

Go, said after hearing of complaints about quarrying in Guinobatan, the President ordered an investigation into the matter.

Prior to the visit, the senator shared photos of an aerial inspection of Albay and Catanduanes areas that were hit hard by the storm.

Go urged concerned agencies to quickly restore services in affected areas, and that aid be immediately given to people.

In his regular briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President would inspect Rolly-affected areas en route from Davao to Manila.

Rolly developed into the most devastating storm of 2020, making four landfalls in Luzon on Sunday. The public has been searching for Duterte after he skipped two media briefings attended by top government officials on typhoon response, prompting #NasaanAngPangulo and #PatayNaBa to trend online for hours.

Roque and Go defended Duterte.

"Dahil inaasahan po natin yung landfall kahapon, at saka sa totoo lang po, araw ng Linggo naman iyon," Roque said.

[Translation: We were expecting landfall yesterday, and besides it was Sunday.]

Go added, "Hindi ibig sabihin na nasa Mindanao ang Pangulo ay hindi siya nagtatrabaho. 24/7 nagtatrabaho ang Pangulo."

[Translation: Just because the President was in Mindanao does not mean he was not working. The President works 24/7.]

After his visit, Duterte is set to meet with his Cabinet members and other disaster officials, the senator also said.

Super Typhoon Rolly has left 16 people dead. The initial damage to agriculture is pegged at P1.1 billion.