Roxas pledges help to LGUs in rehab of typhoon-hit areas

By Redjie MelvicCawis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas assured full support of the national government in rehabilitation efforts of local government units affected by recent typhoon Ineng.

“Ang buong pamahaalan national ninyo ay nakatutok sa mga problema ninyo para sa ganun lalong madaling panahon ay mapanumbalikang kondisyon ng buhay, asahan niyo ang aming kooperasyon sabagay nay an,” Roxas   said uring recent Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council meeting here at Benguet Capitol.

Roxas with presidential spokesperson Sec. Edwin Lacierda  and SociAl Welfare Asec. Vilma Cabrera arrived in this capital town via chopper to assess the situation in  areas most affected by the typhoon.

Benguet Gov Nestor  Fongwan  briefed the officials on the  effects of typhoon Ineng leading to  declaration of  the 

province under  state of calamity.

Fongwan reported that Typhoon Ineng  left  at least 17 dead, six injured and 12 missing during the height of the typhoon  mostly due to landslide incidents.

Some 5098 families  or  22,837  individuals  were were affected during the typhoon.

At least 19 families or 87 individuals were evacuated to the different evacuation centers and their relatives in the towns of Bakun, Buguias and Itogon. 

Partially damaged houses reached 148 and  while there were 13 totally damaged houses.

The agricultural sector suffered P46,411,659.65 million  damages  to crops, agricultural facilities, livestock, poultry and fisheries. Damage to infrastructure amounted to P65, 572,744.00M for  national and provincial roads and bridges.

He added as of August 26, some 49 percent of the households in the province  have no power yet  as  Benguet Electric Cooperative was hampered by road closures in far areas. There are still isolated barangays in the province, he added.

Fongwan also reported the search and rescue operations  for the missing 11 small scale miners in SitioTaneg, Barangay Elizabeth in Mankayan whose  temporary shelters  built near a river  were hit by landsalide on August 22.

Fongwan highlighted the immediate need for support in the search and rescue operations in SitioTaneg, Barangay Elizabeth in Mankayan, the road opening in isolated areas for the energization of the places, the distribution of relief goods and the immediate delivery of vegetables from the municipalities to the markets to be sold in the right price.

In his message, Roxas stressed the full support of the national government which includes all the line agencies in the national down to the regional levels of the needed assistance to fast track the recovery and rehabilitation efforts in the localities.

He directed Police Regional Office – Cordillera Regional Director Chief Supt. Supt. IsaganiNerez to provide manpower support to ongoing search and retrieval operations in the area since mechanized equipment cannot be used in the operations.

He added that he will be coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to let K-9 units be sent in the area to help in the search operations

The Benguet Provincial Police Office – Provincial Public Safety Company led by Supt. Jonathan Calixto is leading the search and rescue operations  by various groups  in Taneg.

He also called on Beneco to coordinate with the DPWH for  specific needs in the road openings for them to restore power immediately in  different areas.

He added that DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson assured needed funds for the rehabilitation and re-construction of the damaged infrastructures particularly the roads and bridges would be available.

At least 20 roads closed down in the entire region causing isolation of several municipalities and barangays and until today there are isolated areas in the different provinces.

With the report of the governor regarding traders  taking advantage  of the situation by increasing the vegetable prices, Roxas  offered the escort services of the DILG and the PNP in the delivery of vegetables from the province of Benguet to the markets in the lowlands and in Metro Manila.  

Farmers should be the ones to take advantage of the hiked up prices of the vegetables which they nurtured and produced from their farmlands.

The Benguet vegetables have increased at least 70 to 80 percent in their prices in the Manila market  who are using the excuse that there are no supply from the province. Fongwan  said this is not  true as he    assured that there is enough supply of vegetables coming from the province.