Pampanga governor: Other provinces need aid more due to 'Ulysses' after social media calls

MANILA, Philippines — The governor of Pampanga on Sunday distanced himself from calls on social media urging relief for those affected by Typhoon Ulysses in the province, saying the flooding experienced in the areas is only usual. 

Governor Dennis Pineda had reported that 114 barangays remain submerged out of the 180 reported yesterday following the overflow of the Pampanga River from Ulysses' rainfall. 

Twitter hashtags such as #PampangaNeedsHelp had since trended on the social media platform but Pineda sought to appeal for the discontinuation of the effort, all while saying they are grateful for it.

"Nakikiusap po kami sa inyo na huwag po nating ipanghihingi ng donasyon ang Pampanga dahil karaniwan lang po ang nangyaring pagbaha sa ating probinsya," he said in a statement per Pampanga's public information office. 

(We are calling on you to no longer ask for donation in behalf of Pampanga because the flooding is only at a normal level.)

Floods in towns of the province are receding, but an agency monitoring the situation said extensive flooding could persist for at least a week in low-lying areas, including towns of the nearby Bulacan province. 

A 5 p.m. bulletin of the Pampanga River Basin Flood Forecasting and Warning Center said the Tributary Rio Chico River at Zaragoza is now at 3.56 meters, still above its 3.5 meter alarm level, as well as the middle main of Pampanga river at Arayat at 7.79 meters, also still above its 6 meter alarm water level. 

The PRFFWC added that the low-lying areas of Candaba is still at 6.08 meters, above the 5 meter critical warning level, including the lower main of Pampanga River at Sulipan station at 3.96 meters, which is also still above the 3.8 meter critical warning.

 

NDRRMC: 80,000 affected in Pampanga from typhoon

In Pampanga province alone, there are 22,255 families or nearly 80,000 individuals reported to have been affected by Ulysses, latest figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed. 

The areas of San Simon and Candaba have the most number of persons affected, with 36,857 and 24,829, respectively. 

Despite these numbers, Pineda maintained that efforts by the local government would suffice. He also said other provinces are in better need of assistance. 

"Marami pong mga probinsyang nasalantan ng Bagyong Ulysses ang lubos na nangangailangan ng tulong," he said. "Sila po ang pag-ukulan natin ng ibayong pansin."

(Many provinces also hit by Ulysses need the aid more than we do. They should be receiving more attention.)

In a Facebook post, Pineda reported that the towns of San Luis, Candaba, Apalit and San Simon received thousands in food packs, apart from the initial given to Masantol and Macabebe.

Angie Blanco, Pampanga's top disaster response official, had said too that the situation painted by users is not accurate.

"'Yung situation natin ngayon may baha tayo talaga pero hindi naman 'yung sinasabi nila na ganoon kalala, na nasa bubong na ang mga tao. Hindi po ganoon," she said in a statement posted by the Office for Civil Defense.

(Our situation today is that there is flooding but it is not as bad as they say, to the point that there are people in rooftops. That's not the case.)

Philstar.com had reached Blanco for possible figures on individuals affected as well as casualties, but she has yet to respond as of writing. 

A situational report by the NDRRMC as of noon of Sunday showed over 1.75 million persons in eight provinces affected, with the death toll now at 69. 

The cost of damage is also now pegged at P1.19 billion for agriculture, with P470 million at infrastructure. Central Luzon, where Pampanga is part of, accounts for over P241 million of the damage to crops, the second highest next to CALABARZON with nearly P700 million.