- GILBERT BAYORAN
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed the damage to agricultural crops, fisheries, and livestock in 15 cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental at P115,611,542.81.
The flooding in the province was due to the enhanced southwest monsoon triggered by Super Typhoon Goring.
The PDRRMC also reported that 100,334 people were affected by the flooding. Of the total, some 7,319 individuals are sheltering in evacuation centers.
In Bago, Mayor Nicholas Yulo mulls the possibility of placing the city under a state of calamity, noting that an estimated 9,300 residents in 18 barangays were affected by flooding.
Yulo reported that the city government will allocate P4 million as disaster response funds that will include food and nonfood items.
The inclement weather also led to the cancellation of the opening of classes from Aug. 29 to Aug. 31, and work in some local government units, while other LGUs opt to start classes on Sept. 1.
Three landslide incidents were also reported by the PDRRMC in Purok Kulasi in Brgy. Kumaliskis and Purok Langka in Brgy. Bunga, all in the municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto, as well as in Brgy. Ilijan in Bago.
Sixteen houses were destroyed, while 43 others have been reported as damaged.
Damage to agricultural crops stood at P112,994.042.18, fisheries at P1,447,000, and P1,170,500 for livestock, the PDRRMC report added.
Meanwhile, a fisherman identified as Wilson Baho reported to the police that he discovered a cadaver of a minor floating in the territorial waters of Sitio Pulo in Brgy. Tortosa, Manapla, Aug. 29.
The female victim, believed to be 10 to 15 years old, was reported to be wearing a white T-shirt and multi-colored shorts./GB
