Aid reaches 55K families; 'Carina' damage in Ilocos Norte hits P221-M

LAOAG CITY – Government aid has already been distributed to 55,403 affected families or 214,213 individuals in the Ilocos Region, as damage in one of its provinces, Ilocos Norte, reached P221 million due to rains from the Typhoon Carina-enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat).

Local authorities said Friday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government units, and non-government organizations have distributed humanitarian assistance worth P3.8 million.

Rochelle Gajes, officer-in-charge of the provincial social welfare and development, said the provincial government will continue to prioritize relief efforts for the most affected residents.

Losses in infrastructure are already at P218.94 million, while the agriculture sector has suffered around P2,005,839 in damage, based on initial reports from the Department of Public Works and Highways District Engineering Office 1, Provincial Engineering Office, National Irrigation Administration and the local government units of Laoag, Piddig, Vintar, Bacarra, and Pasuquin.

Provincial agriculturist Teresa Bacnat said the initial damage to agriculture included lowland vegetable crops under the vegetative stage, overflowed fish cages with bangus (milkfish) and tilapia stocks, and a motorized banca worth P100,000 that was swept away by strong current in Barangay Bobon, Burgos town.

"We have yet to receive damage reports from the other towns but we hope it is not that much," Bacnat said in a media interview on Friday.

Mark David Adriano, a vegetable farmer and dealer from Barangay Maan-anteng, Solsona, hopes that his flooded patch of land where eggplant, cucumber, string beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, bitter melon, and squash are planted, will recover soon.

"It is good that we put plastic mulch when we planted the vegetable seedlings to protect them from weeds and surface runoff during heavy rains," he told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday.

Schools in the province, likewise, incurred P5.7 million in damage, according to Valerie Talamayan, information officer designate of the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte.

"These are mostly minor damage to 23 classrooms in 12 schools like water leak on school ceiling, broken windows and damaged gutters," Talamayan said as she hoped repairs would be completed in time for the opening of classes on July 29.

Meanwhile, the 69-kV (kilovolt) power source of the Northwind Power Development Corporation and the 69-kV Currimao-San Nicolas line of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative tripped off on Thursday, causing power outages in the towns of Pasuquin, Burgos, Bangui, Dumalneg, Pagudpud, Adams, and some parts of Bacarra, including parts of the cities of Laoag and Batac.

While power restoration is ongoing, the city government of Batac opened a free charging station at Imelda Cultural Center.

"You can charge your mobile phones, rechargeable lights, and other essential devices and equipment here. Please avoid bringing children or vulnerable individuals to the charging station," it said in a public advisory.

Marcell Tabije, local disaster risk reduction and management officer of Ilocos Norte, said the province will continue to be on red alert as the effect of the southwest monsoon still prevails in this northern part of Luzon.

"Let us take care and prepare for any eventuality. Always follow the reminder and safety precautions given by authorities to minimize the risk of life or damage to properties," he said.

A total of 1,654 families or 5,355 individuals were affected as some 371 households were isolated and 1,122 were inundated.

In Piddig town, municipal disaster risk reduction and management officer Michael Aguinaldo told the PNA on Friday that 165 isolated households in Sitio Utoy and Bangalan in Barangay Estancia were provided with relief packs on Thursday afternoon as members of the Philippine Marines and first responders of the Piddig government waded through the raging Guisit River in coordination with the Office of Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos and the provincial government. (PNA)