OCD Ilocos chief sacked in aftermath of ‘Cosme’

BY JERRY PADILLA AND JENNELYN MONDEJAR

SAN FERNANDO, La Union – The Ilocos regional director of the Office of Civil Defense was fired from her position, due to the “late response” of her office when storm “Cosme” battered Northern Luzon recently.

Elvira Calina, who assumed her position three months ago, was transferred to the OCD central office in Manila and was replaced by Eugence Cabrera from OCD-Region 2 based in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

A source, who requested anonymity, said Calina was removed from her post three days after Cosme struck because she allegedly got the ire of disaster officials, including Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro who went to Pangasinan a day after the storm struck the province.

Calina was reportedly not around during Teodoro’s visit. Newsmen tried to reach Calina for comment, but sources said she was on leave for the whole month of June.

Cabrera declined to comment on Calina’s relief, saying that he assumed the Ilocos regional post on May 21, three days after Cosme struck the provinces of Zambales, Panga­sinan, La Union and Benguet.

This, as President Arroyo returned to Pangasinan Wednesday to get the real situation on the devastation wreaked by Cosme on the province.

Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said the President wetn to Barangay Portic in Bugallon town to see houses destroyed by the typhoon.

The President first visited Pangasinan last May 23 six days after Cosme struck for a meeting of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

Ms Arroyo pledged to extend P500 million worth of roofing materials to be divided among Pangasinan, La Union and Zambales. Local officials though have yet to receive the assistance.

She told Pangasinan officials to use their calamity funds for rehabilitation work.

The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council said Cosme left P4.3 billion in damage to agriculture, fisheries, and infrastructure, including schools, as well as 39 fatalities.

Meanwhile, Cabrera said they were still giving assistance to Cosme victims whose houses were totally destroyed.

He said some 30,000 affected families were being evaluated for the shelter assistance.

“We will be distributing emergency assistance for those whose houses were totally destroyed.

The DPWH will procure GI (galvanized iron) sheets while social workers will evaluate the beneficiaries. Local government units will be providing additional construction materials,” Cabrera said. The National Transmission Corp. reported it restored power in the affected areas.

Fernando Abesamis, TransCo vice president for North Luzon operation and maintenance, said the state-run company successfully re-energized the Binmaley 2-San Carlos 69-kilovolt (kV) line in Pangasinan.

Abesamis said TransCo also completed the repair of the 230-kV Botolan-Labrador line.

He said linemen from other TransCo district offices in North Luzon helped rush the repair in the storm-battered areas, particularly in Panga­sinan.

The Dagupan Electric Cooperative, for its part, said it has restored 66.9 percent of the power supply in the city.

In a report to the city council, engineer Augusto Sar­miento said they are optimistic that they could fully re-energize the city within 30 days.