Palace releases P20 M for flood-hit Aurora

BALER, Aurora — President Arroyo has released P20 million for the rehabilitation of areas damaged by flash floods that hit northern Aurora last December.

Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo told The STAR that Mrs. Arroyo handed the funds to Sen. Edgardo Angara during a meeting last Tuesday.

Angara-Castillo said the amount will be used to repair portions of the Baler-Casiguran Road, particularly those in Dipaculao town and Barangay Ditawini in Dinalungan.

A portion of the calamity fund will also go to rehabilitation projects in Barangays Diarabasin, Borlongan, Dianed and Dinadiawan, all in Dinalungan town.

Angara-Castillo said the financial assistance was only for the damage wreaked by floods in northern Aurora last Dec. 26-27. Provincial officials placed crop losses and infrastructure damage at P55 million.

The provincial board placed the province under a state of calamity last Jan. 11.

The floods isolated 60,000 people in the Dicadi area of Dilasag, Casiguran and Dinalungan for several days.