• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Typhoon Tino left a massive devastation in infrastructures and agriculture in Negros Occidental, reaching P1.976 billion, data of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) showed.
In a report dated Nov. 20, damage to infrastructures was placed at P1.5 billion, agriculture and livestock, P303.135 million, and education, P172.841 million.
Almost one million Negrenses were affected by the typhoon, which devastated mostly local government units in central Negros, claiming the lives of 96 individuals and leaving 40 others missing.
Typhoon Tino also destroyed 19,862 houses and partially damaged 180,823 homes.
More than 500 families in Hinigaran and Moises Padilla, whose homes were located along riverbanks and swept away by the flashflood, may no longer be allowed to rebuild their houses in these areas already declared by the national government as “no build zones”.
In Hinigaran, Mayor Mary Grace Arceo said they have identified 11 hectares in Sitio Acacia, Barangay Gargato as relocation site for more than 200 families.
A donated one-hectare property is also being eyed as a relocation site for more than 300 homeless families in Moises Padilla.
Meanwhile, 13 schools were also destroyed while 1,070 classrooms need repairs, excluding 24,779 damaged armchairs, according to the report of Department of Education-Schools Division of Negros Occidental as of Nov. 13. | GB
