MANILA, Philippines — Actress and beauty queen Winwyn Marquez urged government officials to show greater empathy, urgency and humility toward residents affected by severe flooding as heavy monsoon rains and a recent typhoon inundated parts of the Philippines.
Marquez made the remarks on social media Tuesday, Sept. 1, as several provinces continued to deal with deep floodwaters and renewed calls for accountability over disaster response and flood-control projects.
“You’re speaking to people you’re supposed to serve,” Marquez said. “Hindi naman instant solution ang hinihingi di ba? Konting empathy, urgency, at humility lang sana.”
She also called on public officials to communicate respectfully with residents and work with communities to address their concerns rather than make them feel responsible for seeking help.
“Public service is called service for a reason,” she said.
Marquez did not identify a specific official in her posts. However, she shared an Instagram post concerning Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda and Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda, whose clothing during recent disaster-relief activities drew criticism on social media.
The Pinedas visited evacuation centers and inspected a damaged dike in Lubao as flooding affected parts of Pampanga. Photos of the officials wearing luxury designer clothing during the operations prompted online criticism.
Marquez also criticized a proposal from Rodriguez, Rizal Mayor Ronnie Evangelista that residents consider building two-story homes to adapt to recurring floods.
Pampanga and Rizal ranked among the areas hit hardest from days of monsoon rains, with some communities remaining submerged.
Marquez’s comments came amid renewed public scrutiny of disaster preparedness, flood-control spending and the response of local officials to communities affected by flooding.
Several celebrities have also recently spoken out about the conduct and disaster response of public officials as residents continue to cope with flooding.