State of calamity declared: ‘Pedring’ isolates Ifugao, four killed, 17 injured

By Maribelle Dulnuan-Bimohya

LAGAWE, Ifugao - The provincial government declared the province in a state of calamity after it was hit by Typhoon “Pedring” killing four people and injuring 17 others, including a one year old baby.

Gov. Eugene M. Balitang said a P6 million quick response fund was ready for release to mitigate severe effects of the typhoon.

Last Wednesday, a resolution was passed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council requesting immediate declaration of the province under a state of calamity.

Declared dead were Ryan Nanglegan, 14; Angelie Gano, 8; Linda Humiding, 45 and Maribel Pugong, 2.

All casualties, who were all from the municipality of Hingyon, died after their respective houses were buried by slides.

As of press time, a certain Terrence Dumapis from the municipality of Banaue was declared missing.

The disaster council listed 17 people injured. Partial list of those injured were Nardo Galotia, Lydia Batton, Nardo Galotia, Albert Humiding, Manuel Pugong, Marinel Pugong and Battad Humiding, a one year old baby.

As of 2 p.m., Sept. 30, the PDRRMO recorded 1419 families affected with 112 totally damaged and 1,383 partially damaged houses. The typhoon also noted a partial list of about 172 million worth of agricultural damages.

Balitang said the list accounted for 91 out of 175 barangays of Ifugao.

The list covered ten out of the eleven municipalities.

He said the list will still increase considering reports are slow in coming due to poor communication signals.

He said that relief operations are being sent to the different barangays, many are isolated and without electricity and communication signals.

As of press time, the province was isolated after the Burnay Bridge located in Tungngod, Lagawe collapsed at about 12:45 p.m. of Sept. 27.

The bridge is the main thoroughfare connecting the province to adjacent provinces.

Other neighboring provinces of Mountain Province and Benguet are also closed due to series of landslides.

The Dugong bridge is currently closed to all commuters. An alternate route, the Cudog-Mungayang-Kiangan road is currently being used for light vehicles.

Earlier, Balitang ordered the provincial engineering office to immediately put up a temporary cable footbridge for commuters to be able cross the river.

Board member Robert Mangyao, acting Provincial Disaster Officer said that the bridge, which is about 74 meters long, will hopefully be finished within two to three days.

“For the past two days, most municipalities were isolated because major thoroughfares within the municipalities were closed due to series of slides.

The Banaue-Lagawe road which usually takes 45 minutes to traverse was covered with more than 10 major slides. Commuters had to hike for two hours yesterday to reach Lagawe,” Mangyao said.

He added that as of this morning, the Banaue-Lagawe road was open for light vehicles only.

The Guihob bridge in Banaue collapsed also last Monday, cutting-off Banaue with the municipalities of Mayoyao, Aguinaldo and Alfonso Lista.

The Department of Public Works and Highways and the Provincial Engineering Offices are currently clearing slides in all municipalities.

For the past four days, the province was totally out of electricity because of massive damages in cables and posts.

As of press time, only the Poblacion area in the capital town, Lagawe, regained electric current.

Communication signals were back to normal as of last night except for landlines.

Vice Gov. Pedro Mayam-o said that the PDRRMC adopted Wednesday a resolution to ensure the sufficiency of prime commodities after the collapse of the Dugong bridge, which greatly affected trade and commerce.

Fuel suppliers earlier increased fuel prices from P53 to P60.

“A Local Price Coordinating Council was created primarily to come up with measures to ensure that prices of goods remain at levels prior to the typhoon,” said DTI Director Val Baguidudol.

He added the council will also step up monitoring activities to ensure that there will be no untoward movement in prices especially hording activities.

Baguidudol said that generally supplies of basic goods are still under control and that goods will last up to two weeks in the capital town. Fuel will probably last for a week. Earlier, store owners were requested not to sell goods on wholesale to distribute goods to more families.

Balitang ordered all local disaster units to be in full alert as the province gears for another mega typhoon whichwas expected to hover over northern Luzon this weekend.