Rehab of flood-stricken Pangasinan in full swing

By Mar T. Supnad

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Rehabilitation for 34 towns and three cities in Pangasinan severely affected by recent floods due to typhoons is now in full swing.

Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. bared this to local media as he expressed his sympathy to those who lost their properties at the height of the typhoon especially to the families of the 62 casualties and further stressed that the province is set to provide them financial aid.

With P9.5 billion cost of damages, the governor said that the province through the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council submitted the report of damages to the office of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Disaster Coordinating Council and other concerned agencies like the departments of Agriculture and Public Works and Highways.

The province, according to the governor, has started rehabilitation works of the Ambayaoan Bridge in San Nicolas town which was damaged by the strong water current that came from Agno River .

Setting up of embankments on the dike that connects to the said bridge will follow, although that bridge is now passable, he said.

“This immediate response made by the province has helped 18 barangays in San Nicolas where 62 percent of its populace lives on the other side of the bridge,” he disclosed.

The governor also said that the rehabilitation move has already been done in some of the damaged dikes and roads in cooperation with the district engineers of the concerned agencies.

On relief operations, Espino said about 48,600 families have already availed of relief goods from the province that include medicines.

Distribution of goods is continuous with the support of other entities like the Department of Social Welfare and Development, ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya and other non-government or civic-oriented organizations.

Possible ways to assist the Pangasinan farmers who are severely affected by the deluge will also be taken into consideration to primarily help them recover from losses in harvests, he said.

Meanwhile, the governor clarified the issue stating that “he is blaming the San Roque Power Corporation for the heavy flooding in Pangasinan during the height of the Pepeng.”

“I have never finger-pointed the San Roque Dam as the cause of the massive flooding,” he said, adding he was just after the main culprit running the dam.

According to him, he is just concerned with the welfare of the entire province. “My job as a governor is to protect lives and properties of the people of Pangasinan and I don’t give a damn if the dam stays there as long as there will be no loss of lives and properties,” he added.