• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A week after the devastation brought by Typhoon Tino in Negros Occidental, the damage and losses in infrastructure, agriculture, and livestock have reached P605.4 million, reports of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) showed.
DA-Negros Island Regional Director Jose Albert Barrogo reported an initial P155 million losses in rice, corn, high value crops and livestock in Negros Occidental.
Barrogo joined the executive briefing led by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson during the visit of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Tuesday.
Also present were Fourth District Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo, and Health Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral,
Losses in rice were placed at P69 million; high value crops – P63 million; livestock – P14 million; corn – P9 million; and fishery – P22.5 million, PDRRMO records indicated.
The province’s report showed P427.907 million in damage to infrastructures such as bridges, schools, multi-purpose buildings, barangay halls, health centers, among others.
The PDRRMO also recorded 58 deaths, 127 injured, and 58 other individuals still missing as of Tuesday.
A total of 7,876 houses were also destroyed by the typhoon while 49,382 incurred partial damage.
The Department of Education reported that 134 school buildings were destroyed while 189 others were damaged in 36 schools in the highly urbanized Bacolod City.
Frasco, who was joined by Angara in visiting the affected areas in Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, La Castellana and La Carlota City, said they were sent by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to convey his message to Negros Occidental residents that the national government is ready to provide whatever assistance they need until the recovery period.
Angara said the Department of Education responded to the urgent request of local school officials to provide them with internet connection by giving them an initial 30 pieces of information technology equipment such as Starlink internet devices and laptop computers. | GB
