On Wednesday, July 24, as the country was grappling with a heavy downpour brought by monsoon rain enhanced by Typhoon Carina (Gaemi), a photo of Vice President Sara Duterte wearing a hoodie inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 went viral on social media. This triggered speculation about the reasons why she was flying overseas when a lot of Filipinos in the northern provinces, Metro Manila, and central and souther Luzon were caught in the middle of a typhoon that eventually developed into a super typhoon by Wednesday afternoon.
But did she really leave the country amid a calamity?
Reporters covering the Office of the Vice President (OVP) had been asking questions about the whereabouts of the Vice President since Wednesday morning, when her photo at NAIA went viral, but it was only Thursday noon, July 25, that her office confirmed that she and her family went on a “personal trip” overseas.
“The Vice President is on a personal trip with her family overseas. Her departure received the necessary approvals, as evidenced by the travel authority issued by the Office of the President dated 09 July 2024. We thank the public for respecting the privacy of the other members of the family,” the OVP said.
The OVP added that while the “timing of the trip coinciding with Typhoon Carina is unfortunate,” her office was “ready to assist families affected by calamities.”
The OVP statement did not say much about the purpose of the overseas trip or which country the Vice President went to.
Quoting an OVP source, One News reported that the “trip to Germany was long planned and booked.”
What’s the trip for?
Filipinos online were quick to speculate that she and her family went to Germany to watch the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, slated for July 24, July 27, and July 28.
Is the Vice President really in Europe to sing her heart out to “Cruel Summer”? Or could there be other reasons, perhaps even medical?
Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman, however, did not mince words when he criticized the Vice President, saying that she left hundreds of Filipinos in agony and despair.
“Her lack of empathy and concern is appalling as Metro Manila and many parts of the country are reeling in a state of emergency,” he said.
“The sincerity of public leaders must be gauged by their selflessness and support in times of nationwide calamities and emergencies,” Lagman added.
Surely, the Vice President is also entitled to a vacation and a leisure trip with her family like anyone else, but could she not have postponed it or let family members go ahead, as Filipinos were reeling from the onslaught of heavy rain?
The last time we checked, she’s the second highest official of the land, and her flight inevitably became fodder for more memes — like, the ones comparing her with her predecessor, Leni Robredo, now a private citizen whose NGO quickly sprang into action to help those affected by the calamity. – Rappler.com
