Mar defends relief effort in typhoon-hit areas: Not part of campaign

MANILA, Philippines - Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Manuel Roxas II is planning to visit areas hit by typhoon "Lando" clarified that it is not part of a campaign.

Roxas said he and his running mate Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor Robredo decided to suspend the campaign for a few days to prepare food packs for residents affected by the typhoon.

He said he did not visit the typhoon-hit provinces last Monday to enable local officials to focus on their humanitarian efforts.

“We do not want to disturb the relief operations. If we go there, the local government officials will meet us. Instead of meeting us, we want them to focus on what they are supposed to do," Roxas said.

Roxas said he and Robredo may visit the affected areas within the week

Roxas exerted an effort to inform the media that the relief effort was not intended to lure voters.

"Notice the plastic. It has no color and has no markings. It's really not for campaign. We really do this in times of calamities," he told reporters at the LP headquarters in Quezon City last Monday.

"We're just doing our part quietly here."

Not convinced

Experts, however, think it will be hard for Roxas to convince the public that the relief mission had nothing to do with the elections.

Erickson Calata, political science professor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, noted that people are aware that Roxas is running for president.

"The color of the plastic bag (containing the goods) does not matter. Roxas' plan to run for president is already in the consciousness of Filipinos so they will think that it is part of the campaign," Calata said in an interview.

Calata also noted that Roxas has already resigned as interior secretary so he does not need to do something that the government does.

Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform, is convinced that Roxas' act is part of his campaign.

"Since he is no longer with DILG, it is for campaign," Casiple said.

When asked how one can distinguish politicking from public service, Casiple said: "If you do this regularly, including (the period) between elections and you have an organization for it, that is public service."

Roxas, however, maintained that there is nothing new in the initiative. He said he and his allies have been helping disaster-struck communities since the aftermath of typhoon "Ondoy" in 2009 through the Operation Tulong Bayan.

"Many people are asking us for help, so we will be sending help. We'll be sending trucks. The most affected areas are Nueva Ecija, Aurora and Isabela," he said. - With Levi Mora