As Super Typhoon Uwan unleashed its devastating force across the country, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) vowed to investigate local officials who reportedly left the Philippines despite a government ban on foreign travel.
Undersecretary Claire Castro said the agency will carefully evaluate the reasons of these local chief executives, emphasizing that accountability and leadership must never waver in times of crisis.
“We will first look into their explanations. This is under the supervision of Secretary Jonvic Remulla. We’ll see how they justify leaving the country despite the memorandum,” Castro said during a Palace briefing on Monday.
Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier ordered all elected and appointed local officials to cancel or suspend any foreign travel from November 9 to 15, 2025, as Typhoon Uwan approached.
Remulla reminded them that under the Local Government Code of 1991 and Republic Act No. 10121, local chief executives are the heads of their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) — meaning they must be on the ground to lead disaster response and relief efforts.
Local governments were also instructed to help affected communities, reactivate Local Price Coordinating Councils to prevent overpricing, and coordinate with regional disaster offices for a faster and more unified response.
Still, Castro clarified that it’s too early to say whether the officials who left were truly at fault.
“We first need to assess their purpose for traveling abroad — and whether it truly affected their ability to respond quickly to those hit by the typhoon,” she explained.
“We cannot immediately say they are guilty. This needs to be studied carefully,” she added.
As the nation recovers from Uwan’s destruction, the DILG’s investigation serves as a strong reminder: public service must never take a backseat, especially when the people need their leaders the most.
