TRANSCRIPT: CNN Anchor Anderson Cooper Responds about Korina Sanchez Comment in Typhoon in Haiyan, Pilipinas

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE 
IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.



Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHjOrpUz4fQ

If you have been watching our coverage over the past week , you'd know that we have been in Tacloban and elsewhere trying to be as accurate as possible. Accuracy is what we care most about here at CNN and giving information that might help people on the ground and help the relief effort in some way become more efficient. In our reporting, it seems out here in the Philippines, it has become something like t a  political issue here at times. A broadcaster, a radio broadcaster named Korina Sanchez has greatly taken an issue about some of my reporting. She also is not just a radio broadcaster, she also happens to be the wife of the Interior Minister who is overseeing the relief effort on the ground. But Sanchez seems to be in the mistaken impression that I said I saw no presence of Philippine government on the ground in Tacloban, I never said that. Obviously I've been on the ground in Tacloban for days.  I've in fact interviewed a very heroic Philippine Navy captain Santiago who has been going out and helping people. I've seen the work that is being done and the work that isn't being done even as importantly. Ms. Sanchez is welcomed to go there and I would urge her to go there. I don't know if she has but her husband is the Interior Minister, I am sure she could arrange a flight. Here's the broadcast of what she thinks I said something that I didn't say in: 

As for who exactly is in-charge of the Philippines side of this operation, that is not really clear. I am just surprised that I haven't , I haven't... I expected that in this day 5, I thought that I have gotten here very late that things will be well in hand. It doesn't seem like that. People are desperate. People do not have any place for shelter. It is very difficult for people to get food.Neighbors are helping out neighbors. Water is in short supply. It is a very very bad situation here. 

Let's  remember, I showed  you a clinic several days ago. It was at the airport. The doctors there said they didn't have enough food, they didn't have enough water for the hundreds of people they are seeing everyday and they didn't have enough medical supplies. That's a clinic at the airport. If any clinic in the entire disaster zone should receive aid quickly and easily, it should be the clinic at the airport and they were not getting it. I don't know what's the situation there today. I certainly pray to God that it is in a better situation than it was even 2 days ago. 

The President of the Philippines has also counseled foreign journalist that they should be accurate in their reports. We certainly appreciate that counsel. Accuracy is what we strive for. I read in the paper today, its the first time that I have been able to read the news- The President also said in his speech that 'the media should use a role to uplift the spirits of the Filipino people to find stories of resilience of hope and faith and show the world how strong the Filipino people are.'

I would actually say,  that all week-long, in every report we have done - We have shown how strong the Filipino people are. The people of Tacloban, and Samar, and Cebu and all of these places, where so many have died. They are strong not to have survived this storm but they are strong to have survived the aftermath of this storm. They have survived for a week now often with very little food, with very little water, with very little medical attention. Can you imagine the strength it takes to be living in a shack, to be living and sleeping in the streets next to the body of your dead children? Can you imagine that strength? I can't. And I've seen that strength day-in and day-out here in the Philippines. And we honor them with every broadcast that we do.