By Francis Wakefield
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Wednesday said that damage to infrastructure and agriculture due to the effects of the southwest monsoon or "Habagat" enhanced by Tropical Cyclones "Henry" "Inday" and "Josie" had reached more than P1.3 billion.
DISASTER CZAR – National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator Ricardo Jalad answers question from a panel of Manila Bulletin (MB) editors during the MB Hot Seat round-table discussion at the MB integrated newsroom. (Jay Ganzon | Manila Bulletin file photo)
Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad, the Executive Director of the NDRRMC and concurrent Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), said that based on the latest figure they have received, a total of P1, 377,090,104.90 worth of damages to infrastructure and agriculture were reported in Regions I, II, III,CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), VI and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR).
He said of the figure, P480, 369,000 million worth of infrastructures were damaged while P896, 721,105.00 worth of agricultural products were destroyed.
He said a total of P24, 872,076.48 worth of assistance was provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH) and Local Government Units (LGUs) to the affected families of Regions I, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, VI, NCR and CAR.
Jalad said as of their latest count, a total of 250,536 families or 1,132,666 persons were affected in 667 barangays in Regions I, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, VI and CAR and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Jalad said of the total number of families affected, 68,057 or 271,588 persons were being served inside and outside evacuation centers.
Jalad at the same time said that the NDRRMC had already recorded 79 incidents such as landslides, strong winds, soil erosion and coastal erosion, collapsed structure, and maritime incident in Region's I, III, CALABARZOM, MIMAROPA, VI and CAR.
Also, a total of 99 road sections and six bridges were affected in Regions I, III, CALABARZON, VI and CAR.
Jalad also said 28 areas in Regions I, III, CALABARZON, and CAR experienced power interruption from July 21 to 24, 2018. As of 6 a.m. Wednesday, power was restored in 25areas.
To date, a total of 400 cities/municipalities in Regions I, II, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, VI, CAR and NCR suspended classes in their respective areas.
A total of 19 cities/municipalities suspended classes on Wednesday (July 25, 2018) in the provinces of Pangasinan, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales and Tarlac.
Jalad, in the same report, said 566 areas experienced flooding in Regions I, III, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, CAR, and NCR. Of which, floodwaters in 321 areas have already subsided.
He also said that a total of 209 houses were damaged - 30 totally and 179 partially - in Regions I, III, MIMAROPA, VI and CAR.
Jalad said to date, a total of eight persons were confirmed killed as a result of the Southwest Monsoon or "Habagat" enhanced by the tropical cyclones"Henry", "Inday and "Josie".
One person was also injured and another remained missing.