Typhoon Haiyan: The Anderson Cooper, Korina Sanchez, President Aquino Debacle

Regarding the Haiyan Aftermath, there are a couple of controversies going on:

1. Korina Sanchez, the wife of DILG Secretary Mar Roxas (who is one of the Cabinet members in charge of the relief operations in the Philippines) has picked a fight with CNN Anchorman Anderson Cooper, saying publicly in her morning radio show that Cooper's reports were "mali-mali" which is Tagalog meaning "wrong." She went on to say in Tagalog, "It seems he does not know what he is saying."

 Korina Sanchez reportedly got flak from netizens.




Ignoring what Ms. Sanchez said, Cooper initially directed his statements to Mar Roxas:

 "There is no real evidence of organized recovery of relief. It is demolition not a construction job here. I have not seen a large Philippine military presence out around here. The search and rescue never materialized. There are mothers searching for their children, it is a sickening sight five days later."

However, in his Thursday (California time) report, Cooper talked about Ms. Sanchez.  Cooper choked up when he talked about the bravery of the Haiyan survivors who have had (among other experiences) to sleep in the open with their dead relatives beside them.

2.  THERE is growing anger against Philippine President Aquino's defensiveness in his response to CNN Christian Amampour who quizzed him about the slow response of the government to the crisis in the Philippines. Aquino seemed to blame the local government for the nightmarish conditions in such devastated places as Tacloban.  Aquino also pointedly lowered the death toll from 10,000 to 2,500; which made it appear as if he were minimizing his culpability in the Haiyan disaster.

Meantime, the conditions of the survivors in Tacloban and other places in Central Philippines remain critical.

HERE IS WHAT I THINK:
 It is foolish for Korina Sanchez to take on Anderson Cooper.
 It is a sign of poor leadership on Aquino's part to blame local governments for the disastrous conditions after the typhoon.
 It was unwise for Aquino to have made a big to-do to minimize the death toll. 

NOW, let's get past this diversion and focus on helping the survivors and rebuilding! 

Addendum:  Some pictures that show "relief" or more accurately "propaganda" goods for the Haiyan survivors. The words are from an irate Cebuano, who editorializes by saying "I want to knock you two (Korina and Binay) on the heads - Shameful!

And here's another addendum: Elmer Soria, Police Chief who said 10,000 died in typhoon, was removed from his post. President Aquino had not been happy with that 10,000 figure and told Christiane Amanpour it's more like 2,500 who died. However, recent death counts are much higher than the President's estimate, and climbing.

And another addendum on Nov. 17 - Korina Sanchez was reportedly suspended by ABS-CBN.
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Watch Cooper's Response to Sanchez on YouTube  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHjOrpUz4fQ
Watch Anderson defends CNN's typhoon coverage
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Read also
 Karina Sanchez feature on CNN Worldwide
President Aquino's handling of typhoon disaster under scrutiny
Philippines Official Fired for Estimate of 10,000 Dead from Typhoon
Elmer Soria, Police Chief who said 10,000 died in typhoon, Removed 

Korina Sanchez Reports from Ormoc, Anderson Cooper still in Tacloban
Anderson Cooper's report irks Korina Sanchez
Korina Sanchez reacts to Anderson Cooper's 'mali-mali' (mistakes)
Rappler.com Anderson Cooper versus Korina Sanchez
Philippines' President Faces Growing Anger 
Secretary Mar Roxas character exposed in CNN interview
Haiyan's toll: More than 1,800 Typhoon 
CNN's Anderson Cooper versus Noynoy Aquino on the Typhoon Yolanda situation
Typhoon Death estimates 'too much' President Aquino tells Amanpour

 Read also my article in CNN. com Childhood in the path of Typhoons
 Filipino Filmmaker, Peque Gallaga, Rants Against Government
Jews in the Philippines - 1940 and 2013

•  These links give you the names of organizations helping the victims of Haiyan:
  How to help Typhoon Haiyan Survivors 
  How to help Typhoon victims
  How to help: Organizations offering relief to Typhoon Haiyan Survivors
•  All for now,
• Cecilia
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•  tags: Philippines, Visayas, typhoon, storm, super typhoon, Haiyan, Yolanda, CNN, children, Anderson Cooper, Korina Sanchez, Mar Roxas, Noynoy Aquino
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