• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The devastation of Typhoon Tino left an estimated P1.7 billion in damage to crops and infrastructures in Negros Occidental, based on the report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
Damage to infrastructures, including bridges, government facilities, road networks was placed at P1.387 billion; agriculture/ livestock – P202.511 million; education – P172.841 million; fisheries – P39.828 million; and P449,000 for farm machineries.
Death toll in Negros Occidental has risen to 66, with 49 still missing while 223 others were injured as of Nov. 14.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Friday (Nov. 14) asked the national government to set aside certain funds to start repairing damaged bridges, which isolated communities to the urban areas.
During a coordination meeting with local government officials of affected towns and cities, Lacson said he was assured by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian that he will relay his request to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“The earlier that we fix bridges, there will be a sense of normalcy in the area,” Lacson said.
Estimated damage either on destroyed and partially-damaged bridges in Negros Occidental was placed at P619.6 million.
Gatchalian said he was instructed by the President to see to it that all disaster-affected areas should get the attention that they deserve.
In a span of two weeks, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that it has distributed 1.2 million food boxes to those affected by natural calamities, be it by typhoon, earthquake or eruption of volcano, of which about 50,000 were already availed of victims of natural calamities in Negros Island.
While DSWD regional directors are on top of the situation, Gatchalian said it is different if he will get firsthand information from the local government executives so that he can coordinate with other departments on what needs further to be done.
“We want to understand what other tailored-fit interventions which we will also do,” he further said. | GB
