Damage may reach P800M

CEBU, Philippines - The projected damage caused by typhoon Seniang to southern Cebu may be between P500 million to P800 million, this according to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management head Baltazar Tribunalo Jr.

However, he said the figure will be possibly increase because of their continuous assessment.

Governor Hilario Davide said the province cannot shoulder the repair of P500 million to P800 million in damage but will ask the national government’s help.

The Department of Agriculture-7 has yet to release the estimated amount of agricultural damage in the region probably Monday after validating field reports, said Director Angel Enriquez.

 “[We are receiving] partial reports but these have to be validated,” Enriquez said in a phone interview yesterday. “We are coordinating with different local government units.”

 The typhoon which hit Cebu province last Tuesday damaged agricultural land in the towns of Sibonga, Dalaguete, Alcantara, Ronda, Dumanjug, Tuburan, Balamban and Toledo City.

In Ronda town, 75 hectares of corn which were supposed to be harvested already were washed away, as reported by DA-7 technical director Marina Hermoso. Carcar City’s high value crops such as mango, banana and other fruit-bearing trees were also affected.

The agency said rice cultivation areas in Carcar City and Barili town were mostly on land preparation and partly planted when the typhoon hit.

SUPPLY PROBLEMS

Provincial General Services Office head Jun Sepe said the primary problems in the south after typhoon Seniang hit the Cebu Province is the water supply and the distribution of goods.

“Dili angay ang pag-apud-apud sa hinabang nagbalik-balik ang uban. Usa pa nagnihit ang krudo so naglisud pag-distribute ngadto sa mga barangay,” he said.

Fuel supply is reportedly limited in Argao town after the approach to Dumlog Bridge in Sibonga was rendered impassable by floodwaters brought by Seniang.

Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos said fuel stations in the town are now implementing rationing due to limited supply.

“Nagkuwang gyod ta kay atong delivery maglisod man gyod, maglisod og tabok ang mga dagkong trak,” he said, adding that the limited supply of fuel is also affecting the ongoing clearing operations in the town.

With this, the municipality has requested supply from the Capitol so they can proceed with the clearing especially in mountain barangays.

“Nangayo lang mi’g gamay gikan ni gov kay among supplier sa krudo nagkuwang man sab,” he said.

The water connection in barangay Sua in the said town was also damaged. Restoration is ongoing.

Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said the Lutheran church has helped provide water to some affected towns and is making an assessment in bringing more water filtration tanks to the towns of Alcantara and Dumanjug. Mandaue City will also help provide water.

The province is also distributing relief goods to the affected towns. Davide has directed the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office to ensure that relief assistance will be doled out accordingly.

“Gov’s instruction to PSWDO is he doesn’t want to hear of complaints on food packs not reaching those in need,” Natera said.

Sibonga Mayor Lionel Bacaltos is hoping for the immediate repair of the damaged approach to Dumlog Bridge since it is a big problem to transport from the south.

“Atong mga negosyante pud intawn gikan sa ubang lungsod ug sa Dumaguete maglisod og sulod sa ilang mga produkto,” he said.

Bacaltos added that the Department of Public Works and Highways assured to complete the installation of a steel bridge 10 days from now or before Sinulog. Residents in the area are using a footbridge to cross the river.

Davide met local officials in Sibonga yesterday where he inspected the bridge with mayor Bacaltos and DPWH.

Natera, who was with the governor during the inspection, said the idea of widening the diversion road in Lindogon, Simala, was being considered.

“DPWH and Sibonga will check area. Sibonga to arrange for permission from property owners for temporary use of their lots while waiting for the steel bridge and repair of the Dumlog bridge,” she said.

She added that the province will lend its heavy equipment to ferry the materials for the steel bridge.

Sibonga and other towns in Cebu province were earlier placed by the Provincial Board under state of calamity due to the two storms, Queenie and Ruby, that affected the province December last year.

The declaration allows the province to use money from its disaster fund for emergency response.

AID FROM CEBU CITY

Each of the municipalities of Sibonga, Alcantara and Ronda that were badly affected by Seniang will soon receive P300,000 cash aid from the Cebu City government.

 Mayor Michael Rama explained that he has decided to give financial assistance to all towns in southern Cebu that suffered from Seniang.

“Mura’g pasalamat lang usab kini nato kay kita dinhi sa dakbayan sa Sugbo wala man kita maigo g’yud sa bagyo,” he said.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, presiding officer of the Local Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Council, said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is conducting an evaluation as to the extent of damage in those municipalities.

 “Dunay posibilidad nga may lain pa nga mga lungsod nga makadawat og hinabang gikan sa Cebu City government. Ang kuwarta anha ni kuhaon sa quick response fund sa calamity budget,” said Tumulak.

 Nineteen people died when typhoon Seniang hit the southern towns. Ronda had the most number of casualties when several houses beside the creeks were swept by floodwaters.

 Meanwhile, Rama is scheduled to go to Medellin town in northern Cebu this morning to personally deliver the 100 sacks of rice to Cebu’s 4th district Representative Benhur Salimbangon for the victims of typhoon Ruby that also hit them badly several weeks ago.

 Tumulak said the donations are not from the city government but a friend who wanted to help the residents of Medellin, particularly in Barangay Kawit.

BODY FOUND

A dead body of an elderly woman was found floating off Barangay Casay, Dalaguete town, Cebu Thursday morning. It was later found to be that of Macaria Revilla, 66, of Barangay Tubod, Sibonga town.

Police Officer 1 Roderick Maqinta said that the Revilla’s body was found around 8 a.m. Thursday by a fishermen collecting coconuts washed away by a flood brought about by Seniang.

Police believe she was swept away by the raging waters brought by Seniang since Revilla was reported as one of those missing at the time when the storm battered the southern Cebu.

Elements of Dalaguete Police Station coordinated with the Sibonga Police Station and Revilla’s relatives and representatives of Sibonga came and identified the body.

Maqinta said that based on the autopsy records, Revilla drowned to death.

BOHOL LOSSES

Of the total 33,575 hectares of rice lands in Bohol, which accounts 90 percent of total rice production in Central Visayas, only 1,933.25 hectares are reported to have been damaged.

“Basically, around five percent of the areas were affected so we could never see that it has affected that much,” DA-7 Director Angel Enriquez said.

Rice fields in calamity-stricken Bohol towns were in different stages — tillering, seedling, vegetative and harvesting — when shoulder-level floods hit, causing losses in farm production.

The damage report also indicated farming facilities and infrastructures such as tractors, greenhouses, fish sanctuaries and cages were also crippled.

A total of 4,747 banana trees in towns of Calape, Antequera and Maribojoc also suffered the brunt of the typhoon. An 8.6 hectare banana plantation in Carmen town was also damaged. Also affected are 246 coconut trees in Calape, Maribojoc and Clarin towns, 15 mango trees in Calape and Clarin and five jackfruit trees in Calape.

In other Bohol towns, seaweed farmers also suffered while fish cages and pump boats of local fishermen were also not spared from the typhoon’s impact. Bohol province and some Cebu towns have been placed under state of calamity due to Seniang.

The DA said agricultural damage assessment is also being undertaken in affected Negros Oriental towns Guihulngan City, La Libertad and Jimalalud.

When asked if Seniang’s impact could affect the region’s farm output in early part of 2015, the official assured it should not alarm the industry.

“Actually that is what we are evaluating now but it’s not really that alarming because ang atong harvest season starts in September to March,” she explained.

Enriquez also added the agency has buffer stocks of seeds for rice and vegetables to be given to affected farmers as initial help.

“After the evaluation of our team with the local executive officials, we will be providing all the [needed] seeds to the farmers,” she said.

Possible damages to livestock, poultry and fisheries are also being gathered from the field, the agency noted. –with Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento, Rene U. Borromeo and Michael Vencynth H. Braga/BRP (FREEMAN)