Catanduanes guv thanks residents, execs for zero 'Pepito' casualty

LEGAZPI CITY – The effective implementation of safety measures and the cooperation of Catanduanes residents were huge factors in attaining zero casualty amid the onslaught of Super Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi) over the weekend.

In an interview on Monday, Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua said no casualty was reported by the local government units (LGUs) based on the assessments conducted by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (MDRRMO), thanks to the cooperation of all residents and the hard work of local officials and volunteers.

"After two days of Pepito, no reported casualty. I officially declare that after Super Typhoon Pepito, (there was) no casualty in the province of Catanduanes," he said after a briefing with disaster response teams that arrived at the provincial capitol.

Cua thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the immediate response from various government agencies.

"Thank you, Mr. President, sa pagpadala ng tulong (for sending assistance). To the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health, the Office of Civil Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine National Police, to all who are here now, thank you very much," he said.

The governor also commended the province's officials, men in uniform, volunteers, and barangay officials who were in charge during the preemptive evacuation of residents in high-risk areas.

"Through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, we were able to fully implement measures to attain zero casualty," he said.

In a separate interview, Jun Surtida, Catanduanes Provincial DRRMO chief, provided updates on the initial damage caused by the super typhoon.

Surtida said among the 11 towns, seven were severely affected.

"The damage incurred was in houses, infrastructure, and roads. The seven severely hit towns were Bagamanoc, Pandan, Caramoran, Gigmoto, Viga, Panganiban, and part of Baras," he said.

Surtida also said the Department of Public Works and Highways- Catanduanes confirmed that roads from Virac to Pandan and Gigmoto are passable.

Based on the initial report of the PDRRMO, at least 2,091 houses were destroyed, while 3,807 were damaged in eight municipalities.

A total of 34,815 families, consisting of 122,219 individuals, were affected in 263 barangays of the province.

Meanwhile, Mario John Gonzales, head of the provincial Department of Information and Communications Technology, assured that communication and connectivity in the province were being restored.

"The mobile operation vehicle for emergencies is expected to arrive in the province to provide additional communications access to the affected local government units," he said. (PNA)