Malacañang Palace on Wednesday rebuked Vice President Sara Duterte for her remarks blaming the government’s “lack of preparation” in responding to the aftermath of Tropical Storm Crising and the southwest monsoon (Habagat).

“First of all, the Vice President probably won't really know what the administration is preparing for regarding Typhoon Crising because she is not in the country and is on vacation in The Hague,” said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro.

Castro said that before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. left for the United States, he had already directed all government agencies to prepare for Tropical Storm Crising and other disasters.

She added that government agency heads had reported on the measures they took to address storm-related damage.

“We already reported yesterday on the actions and accomplishments of other concerned agencies such as the DSWD, DOTr; even the Philippine Coast Guard has also provided free rides, except for the DOTr which also provided free rides on the MRT, LRT, and that was a directive of President Marcos Jr. And that also includes the preparation itself for the food packs that we will give to our countrymen who were affected by Typhoon Crising,” Castro said.

“So, again, the Vice President couldn’t help but criticize because she is not in the Philippines and she does not see what the government is doing for the people,” she added.

Reusing floodwater is backed by law

Castro also responded to Duterte’s earlier mocking of the President’s proposal to collect rainwater for agricultural reuse. Duterte had said that rainwater should be gathered and delivered to Malacañang so that the President would have something to drink.

The remark came after President Marcos tested the DSWD’s portable water filtration system on 18 July 2025 by sipping filtered rainwater, which he said had no odor.

Castro emphasized that collecting and reusing rainwater is already covered by existing legislation.

“Perhaps she is not aware of this law, it is not new, so it surprises us that the Vice President does not know the law regarding rainwater collectors – there is already a law, Republic Act Number 6716, and it was enacted on March 17, 1989 – An Act Providing for the Construction of Water Wells, Rainwater Collectors, Development of Springs and Rehabilitation of Existing Water Wells in All Barangays in the Philippines,” Castro said.

She added that this law aims to provide alternative sources of drinking water and help address shortages, especially during dry spells.

Castro also said that the Department of Public Works and Highways had already installed rainwater collector systems in Nueva Vizcaya as early as March, and noted that former Surigao del Norte second district representative Robert Ace Barbers had pushed for the mandatory installation of rainwater collection systems.