Arroyo visits Mayon evacuees

Manila: After receiving criticism for her perceived "insensitivity" in going on a holiday in Hong Kong at a crucial time, President Gloria Arroyo visited evacuation centres in Albay province Wednesday.

A palace statement said the first thing that Arroyo did upon her arrival from Hong Kong was to oversee the distribution of foodstuff and other basic necessities at various evacuation centres in Legaspi City.

Arroyo visited the evacuation centres amid apprehensions that Mount Mayon in the Bicol Region could erupt at any time.

Executive secretary Eduardo Ermita disclosed that 9,880 families near Mount Mayon had been moved to temporary shelters after the volcano showed signs of imminent eruption early last week.

The families, comprising 47,137 individuals, are now housed in 26 school and other government buildings in the cities of Legaspi and Tabaco and in the towns of Maliliput, Camalig, and Guinobatan.

According to Ermita, school authorities have been advised to devise ways to enable pupils in evacuation centres to attend regular classes as soon as possible.

Regular practice

He said it has always been the president's practice to go directly to disaster and calamity areas from a trip abroad.

"She is one president I know who after landing goes to the hangar of the airport and flies to any place in the Philippines where her presence is needed," he said.

Arroyo had gone on a three-day vacation with her husband Jose Miguel and their grandchildren to Hong Kong. Prior to this, the president took part in an international conference on climate change in Denmark.

Criticism

Earlier, Arroyo had been heavily criticised by political opponents for her decision to go on a trip at a time of an impending calamity.

They chided the president for taking time to have a vacation when tens of thousands are suffering at the evacuation centres.

Presidential adviser on economic affairs, Gary Olivar, for his part, said that the president, just like anybody, "should be given time to enjoy the Christmas season."

He said, "whoever made that comment is totally out of place in today's holiday season. It seems that they do not have family. It is Christmas time".