• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The devastation of Typhoon Tino left the infrastructure, agriculture and education sectors in Negros Occidental with an estimated P1.7 billion in damage, according to reports of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
Damage to infrastructures, including bridges, government facilities, road networks placed at P1,387,960,604; agriculture/ livestock – P202,511,944; education – P172,841,000; fisheries – P39,828,142; and P449,000 on farm machinery, according to PDRRMC reports.
The death toll in Negros Occidental has risen to 66, with 49 still missing, while 223 were reported injured, as of November 14.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday asked the national government to set aside certain funds to start repairing damaged bridges, which have isolated communities from urban areas.
During a coordination meeting with local government officials whose towns and cities were affected by the devastation of Typhoon Tino, Lacson said he was assured by Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian that he will relay his request to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The earlier that we fix bridges, there will be a sense of normalcy in the area, Lacson said.
Estimated value of damage to destroyed and partially-damaged bridges in Negros Occidental was placed at P619,600,000.
Gatchalian said he was instructed by the President to see to it that all disaster-affected areas should get the attention that they deserved.
DSWD reported that it has distributed 1.2 million food boxes to those affected by natural calamities, be it by typhoon, earthquake or eruption of volcano in a span of two weeks, of which about 50,000 were already availed by victims of natural calamities in Negros Island.
While DSWD regional directors are on top of the situation, Gatchalian said it is different if he will get firsthand information from the local government executives, so that he can coordinate with other departments on what needs to be done further.
“We want to understand what other tailored-fit interventions, which we will also do,” he further said.*
