Liza Soberano, Kim Chiu, more celebrities express concern amid 'Uwan,' call out alleged flood control corruption
Several actors and personalities took to social media to express concern amid Typhoon Uwan's onslaught and call out alleged government corruption as the cause of the resulting disaster.
Since becoming a super typhoon on Nov.9, Uwan has left two dead, displaced 730,956 people, and sunk 221 areas, particularly in Luzon, according to the Nov. 10 report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Uwan, which is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Nov. 11, came just days after Typhoon Tino ravaged Visayas and left 224 dead, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that Uwan continues to weaken while moving away from the Ilocos region. But as it battered Luzon and in the wake of the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, some celebrities couldn't help but point to government action as a deterrent to the calamity.
A seemingly enraged Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, on Instagram, reposted a video of the late Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez calling out environmental destruction.
"Sino ba ang nagbigay ng permiso butasin ang ating kabundukan putulin ang mga puno sirain ang karagatan[!] SINO[!] Hindi na natin maibabalik ito sa dating ganda," Alcasid said.
"Sa lahat ng gobyernong walang malasakit ang [kakapal] ng mukha niyo[.] Kayo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyayari sa Pilipino," she condinued.
Meanwhile, actress Liza Soberano spoke out about how the recent typhoons are "another very expensive reminder[s]" of how "Filipino people constantly suffer at the hands of disgusting government officials."
"NEVER FORGET. P545 billion has gone into flood control projects for the past [three] years. Where is the control and infrastructure?"
Similar to Soberano, host Robi Domingo questioned where taxes go as the Philippines is hit by calamities every year.
"Tapos maapaisip ka... saan na naman napunta yung binayad mo? Bakit ganito pa rin tayo?" he wrote in an Instagram story.
On X, Anne Curtis pondered if the supposed successful flood control project in Iloilo could be done for other parts of the country.
"Grabe. Imagine if all the corruption money was put towards projects like one in Iloilo," she said.
For her part, Kim Chiu thanked Sierra Madre and other mountain ranges for protecting the Philippines from natural calamities in a post on X while also alluding to government officials.
"Tahimik lang silang nakatayo, walang hinihinging kapalit, pero patuloy silang nagbibigay ng buhay, ng hangin, ng ginhawa. Sana ganun din ang gawin ng mga nasa itaas. Sana marinig nila ang sigaw ng kalikasan bago pa man mahuli ang lahat," she said.
She also referenced ecological damage in an earlier post: "No to mining. Walang konstruksyon. Walang pagwasak."
Meanwhile, actress-singer Agot Isidro called out hypocrisy of social media users who post about the Sierra Madre yet vote for pro-mining candidates.
"Kung kayo si Sierra Madre, sino iboboto nyo? Yung papayag na kalbuhin kayo?" she retorted.
Carla Abellana and Kira Balinger didn't make any statements but shared Instagram posts in their stories demanding accountability from the government.
"Another typhoon—another reminder that we deserve better than a substandard government," the reshared post on Abellana's Instagram read.
"When will we stop calling it resilience and start demanding accountability?" An illustration Balinger shared read.
Earlier in August, several celebrities took to social media to denounce the alleged corruption in flood control projects as rains in July triggered massive flooding in the metro.