Malacañang clarified on Sunday, August 30, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains fully attentive to state response operations for communities hit by severe flooding.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that executive directives have been issued to maintain rapid relief for affected citizens.
“Laging tutok ang Pangulo sa sitwasyon. Minomonitor ang kalagayan ng mga kababayan natin at ng mga bayan na apektado,” Castro stated.
The official statement addresses online backlash sparked by a video showing the President singing during First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ birthday gathering on August 26.
The clip circulated widely on social media as several areas across Luzon faced severe monsoon downpours.
Castro asserted that taking brief personal time with family does not stop administrative duties or state operations.
“Ang Pangulo ay Pangulo saan man siya naroroon. Ang paglalaan ng ilang oras para sa kanyang pamilya ay hindi nangangahulugang tumitigil ang kanyang tungkulin o ang operasyon ng pamahalaan,” she noted.
“Sa gitna ng matinding pag-ulan, patuloy ang kanyang pagbabantay at pag-uutos sa mga ahensya upang matiyak ang kaligtasan at agarang pagtulong sa ating mga kababayan,” Castro added.
Relentless southwest monsoon rains have caused extensive inundation across the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and surrounding provinces.
According to data from the Office of Civil Defense, 646 locations across seven regions have been submerged, affecting approximately 8.1 million individuals or 2.3 million families.