Bulacan, Pampanga Placed Under State Of Calamity

The provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga have been placed under a state of calamity due to massive flooding and damage caused by the southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoons Egay and Falcon.

The Bulacan Provincial Council passed Panlalawigang Kapasiyahan Blg. 579-T’2023 on Monday, July 31.

The Provincial Public Affairs Office said the calamity caused by Typhoon Egay enhanced by the southwest monsoon affected some 228,648 families from 171 barangays.

Also, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office noted that floodwaters affected 21,367 individuals or 5,631 families who were evacuated to different centers in the province.

The governor also called on members of the House of Representatives to prioritize the urgent and comprehensive solution to the decade-old problem of flooding in the province.

“This needs to be studied and given solution through a proper master plan. We hope our province can be supported after the flooding affected us. We cannot do it on our own,” the governor said.

As of Tuesday morning, Aug. 1, 172 barangays in 16 towns and three cities in Bulacan are still affected by floods ranging from six inches to seven feet, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Villages affected by floods include those Calumpit (28 baranggays), Hagonoy (23), Bulakan (13), Balagtas (8), Guiguinto (8), Paombong (8), Angat (1), Pandi (2), Bocaue (10), Plaridel (1), Bustos (2), Obando (4), Marilao (4), San Rafael (5), San Ildefonso (5) and San Miguel (6). Also affected by floods are 25 baranggays in Malolos City, 13 in Meycauayan and five in Baliwag.

The province of Pampanga was also placed under a state of calamity.

In a regular session on Monday, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved Resolution No. 8058, following the recommendation from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

Based on the reports submitted by the PDRRMC to the Provincial Board, a total of 232 villages in 15 local government units have been greatly affected by flooding due to continuous downpour.

It also stated that about 144,340 families or 512,722 individuals were affected, with 6,057 individuals temporarily housed in 112 evacuation facilities.

The flooding also rendered many roads and bridges in different municipalities impassable to light vehicles.

With the declaration of a state of calamity, the provincial government can now use its Quick Response Fund to augment the relief efforts of affected towns and cities.

In Benguet, members of the PDRRMC is asking the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Benguet to place the province under a state of calamity due to heavy damages and losses left by Egay.

PDRRMC Officer Abner Lawangen made the recommendation during a meeting attended by Gov. Melchor Diclas and Vice Gov. Ericson Felipe.

Earlier, Abra and Apayao provinces were also placed under a state of calamity.

According to data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), some 113 cities and/or municipalities have been placed under state of calamity in at least six regions.

The death toll remains at 25 with at least 52 reported injuries, while the number of persons reported missing went down from 20 to 13.

Zambales

In Zambales, at least 598 families were evacuated to various centers due to torrential rains brought about by Typhoon Falcon.

Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said a portion of dikes has been destroyed and triggered landslides, damaging more than P18.5 million in rice and other agricultural products.

Ebdane urged residents to be extraordinarily alert as Falcon (international name Khanun), which was expected to further intensify, would enhance the southwest monsoon and further spawn heavy rainfall of from 100 to 200 mm.

The governor went around the province over the weekend to assess the situation of crucial infrastructure like dikes and bridges, and instructed the various provincial government offices to maintain services to residents even during bad weather conditions.

“Everything’s under control, as it is right now, because we have prepared for all contingencies as early as when Typhoon Egay (Doksuri) began causing flooding in several areas,” Ebdane added.

He also noted that strong river current has damaged parts of protective dikes in the municipalities of San Felipe, Cabangan and San Narciso, minor landslides in Masinloc and Subic, dam-aged roads in San Marcelino, as well as a bridge and spillway in San Antonio, but added that these will be repaired in just a few days.

A report from the Zambales PDRRMC on Tuesday showed 78 barangays in 13 towns were impacted by the typhoon, with 3,390 families and 10,544 persons adversely affected.

Floods also led to the pre-emptive evacuation of residents in 33 barangays, with 542 families or 1,908 persons temporarily staying in evacuation centers and 56 families or 399 persons sheltering outside the centers.

While Ebdane has not yet declared a state of calamity over the province, the provincial government has already suspended classes in all levels and work in both public and private offices. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) provided more than 10,000 gallons of water to 2,704 families affected by Typhoon Egay in Ilocos Norte, Benguet and Abra.

In addition to distributing clean drinking water, the MMDA team is also assisting in road clearing operations in areas affected by flooding and landslides. The MMDA response team brought with them 50 units of water purifiers, chainsaws, rotary saws, generators and rechargeable lights.

For its part, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance partner World Food Program helped the Department of Social Welfare and Development transport 11,000 family food packs to Isabela and Cagayan.

3 cyclones

There will be two to three tropical cyclones forming or entering the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) in the month of August, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Tuesday.

The cyclones will be named Goring, Hanna and Ineng once it enters PAR. These cyclones may pass through Northern Luzon or could also veer away from the Philippine landmass, according to forecast trends.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said that Falcon exited the PAR on Tuesday afternoon. It is forecast to pass the south of Okinawa Islands last night or this morning as it further intensifies and could develop into a super typhoon.

Falcon was monitored 835 km northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon and is moving west northwestward at 15 kph. It was carrying maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 215 kph.

Falcon, even as it exited PAR, will enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portion of Luzon in the next few days.

Monsoon rains are forecast over Zambales and Bataan while occasional rains are expected over Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan and Occidental Mindoro.

The southwest monsoon will also bring scattered rainshowers over Ilocos Region, CAR, Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, the rest of Central Luzon and the rest of MIMAROPA, while isolated rainshowers are forecast over the rest of the country.

Meanwhile, work in courts located in areas affected by Typhoon Falcon was suspended on Tuesday, the Supreme Court (SC) said. This included all first- and second-level courts located in the Dagupan City Hall of Justice. Also suspended was work in courts in Bulacan.

The local governments of Dagupan and Calasiao in Pangasinan, San Simon and Candaba in Pampanga and Santa Maria in Bulacan suspended classes on Tuesday due to heavy monsoon rains enhanced by Falcon.

The local governments of Malolos in Bulacan and Masantol in Pampanga suspended work in government offices.

Infra damage

An estimated P5.198 billion worth of infrastructure was damaged by combined effects of southwest monsoon and Egay in various parts of the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), Regions 1, 3 and 6, the Department of Public Works and Highways said on Tuesday.

The DPWH said that as of July 31, an estimated P1.053 billion worth of roads; P162.600 million worth of bridges and P3.982 billion worth of flood-control structures or a total of P5.198 billion were damaged by combined effects of southwest monsoon and Egay in Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, all in CAR; Ilocos Sur in Region 1; Pampanga and Zambales in Region III; Iloilo in Region VI.

The DPWH also said that 17 roads are still closed and 10 roads have limited access. The DPWH added that it is still working on reopening a total of 17 road sections in the CAR, Regions 1, 3 and 6 that were rendered impassable.

Agri losses

Losses in the agriculture sector due to Egay has ballooned to P2.89 billion, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

The agency said 142,135 farmers and fishermen were affected, with volume of production loss at 98.2 metric tons (MT) and 163,722 hectares of agricultural areas in Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN and Caraga Region.

Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, livestock and poultry and fisheries, the DA said.

Damage in the rice sector amounted to P1.13 billion, with 92,179 hectares affected and 33,063 MT lost.

The corn sector incurred losses amounting to P998.2 million, equivalent to 66,669 hectares affected and 53,341 MT of volume loss.

For high value crops, 1,874 hectares were struck and 11,171 MT lost, equivalent to P235.6 million in value.

Total value of losses in the livestock and poultry sector reached P11.9 million, with 8,998 heads of chicken, ducks, sheep, swine, cattle and carabao lost.

The fisheries sector lost P166.2 million, with 285 fisherfolk affected and fisheries produce, pond dikes, fishing boats damaged.

In terms of agricultural infrastructure, losses have reached P351.7 million as the typhoon damaged warehouses, laboratories, research centers, animal barns and postharvest facilities.

The DA has prepared assistance to affected farmers and fishers in the form of rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds as well as drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will provide P62,000 worth of tilapia, carp and catfish fingerlings to affected fisherfolk.

Farmers and fishermen can also tap the P200 million from the Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council with loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest.

The DA also made available P500 million from its Quick Response Fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas.

2.5 M people

Typhoon Egay’s heavy rains, flooding and landslides and the effects of the southwest monsoon have affected some 2,452,738 persons or 668,974 families in 13 regions across the country, the NDRRMC said.

Among the most affected areas are Central Luzon (1,149,314 individuals affected), Ilocos Region (585,818), Cordilleras (354,060), Western Visayas (149,799) and Cagayan Valley (132,177).

As of Aug. 1, a total of 13,718 families or 50,467 persons remain temporarily housed in some 736 different evacuation centers.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said the agency has allotted some P200 million for the implementation of an emergency employment pro-gram in typhoon-affected regions.

Laguesma noted that DOLE regional offices in CAR, Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley have started providing assistance to typhoon-affected residents.

He said the actual number of affected workers is not yet available but profiling has already started. – With Artemio Dumlao, Danessa Rivera, Jose Rodel Clapano, Michael Punongbayan, Mayen Jaymalin, Neil Jayson Servallos, Mark Ernest Villeza, Pia Lee-Brago, Romina Cabrera, Janvic Mateo, Ric Sapnu