Manila Bulletin
Philippines
National
Gov't assures adequate supply of drinking water to typhoon-hit areas; death toll hits 25
Philippines
National
Gov't assures adequate supply of drinking water to typhoon-hit areas; death toll hits 25
Gov't assures adequate supply of drinking water to typhoon-hit areas; death toll hits 25
Published Jul 31, 2023 06:18 am
There will be enough supply of potable water for communities that were severely devastated by Super Typhoon “Egay,” the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) assured the public Monday, July 31.
*(File photo)
* OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed them to ensure that the source of water will not be a problem for typhoon victims. “Kailangan naming magpadala ng hinihingi ng ating mga kababayan na tubig so ‘yung mga regional offices natin pinagpadala natin ng water filtration machines para makabawas sa problema sa source ng tubig (We need to provide what our countrymen needs such as water so we directed our regional offices to bring water filtration machines to address the problem on the source of water),” Nepomuceno said in a Laging Handa press briefing. The OCD has provided 30 units of filtration machines to typhoon-hit areas in Northern Luzon. It also tapped the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to provide augmentation water filtration units, medicine, and construction materials for the rebuilding of schools as Marcos ordered a swift repair of school buildings that were damaged ahead of the opening of classes next month. “Mayroong immediate solution dyan ‘yung pagkumpuni lang, kayang makaalalay ng pamahalaan. Pero ‘yung talagang nagiba, medyo mabigat bigat na trabaho. Gusto niya pangmatagalan dahil lagi tayong tinatamaan ng bagyo so dapat mas maraming kapasidad sa tubig, gamot at mabilisang pagbibigay ng tulong sa mga nasirang bahay gaya ng yero (We have an immediate solution for that if it only requires repair, the government can assist. However, for those [school buildings] that were really destroyed, it will take a heavier work. He wants a long-term solution because we are frequently hit by typhoons so there needs to be a bigger capacity for relief assistance such as water, medicine, and immediate provision of assistance to destroyed houses such as iron sheets),” Nepomuceno explained.25 dead, 2.3M affected
Meanwhile, the reported death toll related to the combined effects of Egay and enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) jumped to 25. Twelve fatalities were recorded in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) where several landslides occurred due to continuous and heavy downpour. There were eight deaths in Ilocos (Region 1), three in Calabarzon (Region 4A), and two in Western Visayas (Region 6). However, only two of the 25 fatalities were validated: one was a 71-year-old woman who was swept by flood in Brgy. Iglesia, Cardona, Rizal; and the other was a 36-year-old man who drowned in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod, Negros Occidental. There were also 52 individuals who were injured while 20 others were still missing in Cagayan Valley (Region 2), CAR, and 1. There were a total of 654,837 families or 2,397,336 persons that were also affected in Regions 1, 2, Central Luzon (Region 3), 4A, Mimaropa (Region 4B), Bicol (Region 5), 6, Northern Mindanao (Region 10), Davao (Region 11), Soccsksargen (Region 12), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), CAR, and National Capital Region (NCR). Of this, there were 13,828 families or 50,987 persons who were staying in 737 evacuation centers.P5.4B dmage to agri, infra
Egay and habagat also dealt heavy damage to the agriculture and infrastructure sectors which alredy reached P5.4 billion. “Malaki po ang naging pinsala sa atin dahil buong Pilipinas halos eh, mula Ilocos Norte hanggang BARMM (The damage was big because it [affected] almost the entire Philippines, from Ilocos Norte to BARMM),” Nepomuceno said. A total of P1,965,320,443.04 worth of damage to agriculture was recorded in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 6, BARMM, and CAR. The most devastated was Region 2 which incurred a loss of P1.02 billion. Meanwhile, damage to infrastructure totaled P3,510,282,156.58 in Regions 1, 2, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 11, 12, BARMM, and CAR. The most affected was CAR which recorded a P2.25 billion loss.