‘95 percent’ of north ravaged by Yolanda

CEBU, Philippines - Around 95 percent of public and private structures and properties in northern Cebu were badly devastated by super typhoon Yolanda last Thursday.

Although no official report yet from the respective local government units (LGUs) affected, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said this is what she personally observed.

 â€œGrabe (Grievous),” she said in describing the swath of destruction she saw while inspecting northern Cebu yesterday.

Cebu 4th district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon said he would seek assistance from President Benigno Aquino III and the House of Representatives to help his district rise up again from the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda.

Excluding the value of destroyed crops, he estimated the damage between P700 million to P800 million for infrastructures, barangay halls, covered courts, schools, beach resorts, among others, as he conducted an aerial inspection yesterday.

Salimbangon said he would also request Aquino through Budget secretary Butch Abad to also provide funds from the controversial Development Assistance Program.

The 4th district is composed of eight towns (Tabogon, Medellin, Daan Bantayan, Bantayan, Sta. Fe, Madridejos, San Remigio and Tabuelan) and Bogo City.  It has a population of around 500,000.

On board a six-seater aircraft, Salimbangon, together with some members of the media, inspected his district and saw for himself that the town of Madridejos in Bantayan island is the most severely damaged in the district.

Houses in Kinatarcan island, with a 10,000 population, were almost totally wiped out as well as those in Hilantagan island, which has a 5,000 population.  The two islets are part of the municipality of Sta. Fe in Bantayan island.

A big problem is how to restore power and water in his district, as majority of the electrical poles and power lines were down, cutting off communication lines.

Most of severely damaged in the district are the roofs of residential structures, school buildings, sports complexes, markets, other government buildings, chapels,.

Electrical posts, coconut trees, bananas, mango trees, acacia trees and other plants were either uprooted or have fallen.

Repairs were underway, but it would take weeks.

Christian Kay Yurango of the Office of the City Mayor of Bogo said schools used as evacuation centers in each barangay in the city were also destroyed. He reported seven persons dead in barangays Siocon, Odlot, Libertad, Banban, Malingin and Anonang Norte.  There are still persons reported missing.

In Medellin, the Dayhagon Elementary School was destroyed; so was the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines sub-station in Barangay Luya.

Magpale said 80 percent of structures in Bogo City were damaged based on the report she got. Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. refused The FREEMAN an interview as he still had to go around the city to assess the situation.

In Daanbantayan, Mayor Augusto Corro reported a total of nine deaths, six of which were in barangay Tominjao and one each in barangays Paypay, Bitoon and Dalingding.

Corro said had 95 percent of its structures damaged by the super typhoon.

The FREEMAN distributed ready-to-eat goods to some residents it passed by along the highway, particularly in Daanbantayan town.

Magpale said her team was the first to bring 37 sacks of rice with canned goods and bottled water yesterday. More, she said, would follow when the roads are already passable.

Corro also asked Magpale for tents and medicines which the latter assured to give.

Corro said that as soon as relief operations are in place, they would likewise asked for assistance from the national government, especially for the rehabilitation of his town.

 The congressman sees tourism to be greatly affected, especially that the district has more than 20 big beach resorts, including 15 in Malapascua island, which were heavily damaged, too.

Also, yesterday, a truckload of goods comprising rice, canned goods,  noodles, among others, that came from Salimbangon’s friends arrived and were distributed to affected residents.

Although the immediate needs of the affected areas are food and water, he hoped that there will also donations of construction materials to help the victims rebuild their homes fast. (FREEMAN)