President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last week assured the people of Catanduanes that as long as there is a need for assistance, especially for those who have been displaced by super typhoon “Pepito”, the government will continue to reach out and provide help.
Aside from distributing relief goods, the Chief Executive reiterated that his administration would prioritize the reconstruction of destroyed buildings, houses, government establishments and all operational offices.
In his message during the distribution of relief goods to typhoon victims and turnover of P50 million calamity assistance for the provincial government last Nov. 19, 2024, Marcos likewise reaffirmed that all farmers and fishermen affected by the howler will receive help from the government to recover their livelihoods.
In closing, the president urged Catandunganons not to hesitate in asking for help from their local government units, emphasizing that the national government will continue to provide assistance until the communities fully recover from the devastation.
Several Cabinet members and key government officials who joined President Marcos Jr. in the visit are implementing his directives to quickly ramp up the delivery of relief goods, ensure swift reconstruction of establishments and support the recovery of the agri-fishery sector in the province.
During a briefing at the Capitol conference room in the afternoon, the president received reports from Governor Joseph Cua, Vice Governor Peter Cua and municipal mayors on the extent of damage wrought by the super typhoon as well as ongoing relief efforts and provision of essential needs.
Also present were TGP Partylist Rep. Jose J. Teves Jr., Cong. Eulogio Rodriguez and provincial directors of key national government agencies.
In lauding local officials for their preemptive actions and quick response that prevented the loss of life, Pres. Marcos Jr. underscored that various forms of assistance are underway to ensure the supply of potable water, repair of power infrastructure and restoration of telecommunications in the affected towns.
The administration’s action came as the estimated cost of damage inflicted by “Pepito” on housing and agriculture surpassed P2 billion.
According to the Nov. 22, 2024 Situational Report issued by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office stated that the super typhoon destroyed a total of 7,939 homes and partially damaged 28,568 houses in the 11 municipalities.
Capitol PIU photo
Based on the list, Caramoran appears to have suffered the brunt of the storm’s fury, with 1,837 houses destroyed and 4,268 others damaged.
With just seven of the 315 barangays still to submit their reports, the tally for the other towns, in order of severity of damage to private residences, is as follows: Pandan – 1,300 destroyed and 2,945 damaged; Viga – 956 destroyed and 3,130 damaged; Virac – 668 destroyed and 4,113 damaged; Bagamanoc – 598 destroyed and 2,190 damaged; Gigmoto – 524 destroyed and 2,169 damaged; San Andres – 449 destroyed and 3,001 damaged; Baras – 434 destroyed and 1,833 damaged; Bato – 428 destroyed and 1,958 damaged; Panganiban – 406 destroyed and 1,448 damaged; and San Miguel – 339 destroyed and 2,114 damaged.
Five towns submitted a total of over P1.5 billion in cost of damage but there appears to be a disparity in the estimates, with Gigmoto’s toll reaching P587 million or over P218,000 for each house whether destroyed or damaged.
The same report said that typhoon affected a total of 59,323 families or 223,981 persons provincewide, with 24,058 families or 99,574 individuals sheltering inside evacuation centers while another 29,527 families or 102,490 persons chose to remain inside their homes or in neighboring houses.
Based on reports from various agencies and LGUs, the agriculture and fishery sectors of the province sustained total production loss of P1.3 billion, with the abaca industry accounting for nearly 90 percent of this with P1.15 billion worth of potential fiber harvest lost to the typhoon’s fury.
This affected a total of 21,080 farmers and fisherfolk, including 13,777 abaca farmers, the PDRRMO said.
The crop damage report issued by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Administration (PhilFIDA) stated that 65 percent of Catanduanes’ 27,567.17 hectares of standing crops were affected: 13,783.59 hectares were deemed heavily damaged while 4,135.08 hectares were moderately damaged.
Based on the P72 per kilo current farm gate price of fiber, 16,044.09 metric tons of recoverable fiber were lost due to “Pepito”, with a total value of P1,155,174,480, PhilFIDA Catanduanes provincial fiber officer Roberto Lusuegro told the Tribune.
Production loss in the other sectors are as follows: rice, 388.61 metric tons (P11.4 million); banana, 183 MT (P19.1 million); coconut, 1,321.3 MT (P144.3 million); Lasa or tiger grass (P3.2 million); High-Value Crops, 4.08 MT (P2.4 million); livestock, 31 heads (P317,400.00); poultry, 917 heads (P340,030.00); and buildings and facilities (P16.3 million).
Disaster officials also placed at a total of P631 million the cost of damage to various public infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, roads and bridges, flood control structures and seawalls, municipal and barangay facilities such multi-purpose buildings, and water supply systems.
The total figure does not include damage inflicted on national infrastructure managed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The Tribune tried to request a hard copy of the report from the DPWH Catanduanes District Engineering Office but was told that it could not be released upon instruction of unidentified officials.
Landslides severed sections of the transmission lines of the Virac Water District’s Cauayan and Padurog water sources, cutting off the supply of potable water to thousands of homes.
With the Padurog damaged pipeline already repaired, work is now ongoing at the Cauayan source to restore the transmission line possible before the end of this week.