4 more provinces declare state of calamity
“CARINA” left at least 21 people dead as it exited the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday morning, while four more provinces declared a state of calamity due to the heavy rains and flooding brought by the typhoon, particularly in Metro Manila.
The heavy rains and flooding in numerous areas have prompted Interior Secretary Benhamin Abalos Jr to declare Metro Manila under a state of calamity on Wednesday.
Batangas declared a state of emergency on the same day.
Yesterday, Abalos said the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite and Oriental Mindoro have also declared a state of calamity.
Briefing President Marcos Jr on the effects of Carina, Abalos said Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa were the regions severely affected by the typhoon.
“If we’re going to base it on evacuation (of people), the most affected areas are NCR (National Capital Region), Calabarzon, 4-B (Mimaropa) and Region 3 (Central Luzon),” he said.
Eleven of the fatalities were reported in the Calabarzon region, seven in Metro Manila (National Capital Region), and three in Central Luzon, PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo told a press briefing in Camp Crame.
Five of the 11 fatalities in Calabarzon were in Batangas – four due to landslide and one hit by a fallen tree. Three died due to electrocution in Rizal and three others drowned in Cavite.
Seven died in Metro Manila, including two in the city of Manila – one due to electrocution and a three-year-old girl who drowned. The five others are drowning victims – one each in Malabon, Valenzuela, San Juan, Mandaluyong, and Pasay.
Police said two of the three fatalities in Central Luzon died due to a landslide in Angeles City in Pampanga. The third fatality in the region drowned in Bulacan.
Fajardo said five people were reported as still missing, including two in Bataan and one in Cavite. She said 15 were injured.
“As of 10 a.m. (Thursday), we recorded 21 dead, 15 injured and five missing,” said Fajardo, adding these deaths will be validated in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The NDRRMC has only reported 14 deaths due to the combined effects of Carina, tropical depression “Butchoy” and the southwest monsoon that has been affecting many areas since July 11.
The 14 included five in Calabarzon and one in Metro Manila.
DISPLACED
Abalos said 36,319 families or 149,006 individuals were displaced in the four regions and in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions, and Cordillera Administrative Region.
Of the displaced people, 90,585 are in NCR and 39,639 others are in Central Luzon.
Quezon City disaster risk reduction and management office head Maria Bianca Perez said 15,890 families or 55,327 individuals are housed in 127 evacuation centers as of Wednesday night.
Valenzuela City mayor Weslie Gatchalian said floods were reported in 32 of the 33 barangays of the city.
“Overall, 80 percent of Valenzuela was affected by the flooding,” said Gatchalian.
He said some 5,600 families or around 20,000 individuals were displaced in Valenzuela. He said they are staying at 74 evacuation centers.
Gatchalian said a few roads are still not passable due to flooding as of yesterday morning.
“We’re almost back to normal. Establishments are already opened. Our focus now is debris cleaning, aside from taking care of the (displaced) people,” said Gatchalian.
Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan said some 2,700 families or 15,300 individuals were also displaced by the flooding in the city.
The PNP said its personnel are still on the ground, involved in disaster response operations.
“Our police officers are on the ground, working around the clock to provide assistance where it is needed most. Together, we can overcome the challenges brought by typhoon Carina,” it said.
“We stand in solidarity with those who have lost their homes, suffered injuries, lost their livelihoods, or lost loved ones. The PNP is committed to assisting in recovery efforts and ensuring the safety and security of all affected communities,” it said.
The Marikina government said 5,848 families, or 30,128 individuals were brought to evacuation centers on Wednesday.
BATANES
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Batanes remained under wind Signal No. 1.
In a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said the impact of winds in areas under Signal No. 1 is “minimal to minor.”
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Carina was 550 km north northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving west southwestward at 10 kph. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 180.
It intensified into a super typhoon, from typhoon, on Wednesday afternoon. It weakened into a typhoon on Wednesday night before making a landfall in Taiwan.
PAGASA said Carina exited the PAR at 6:20 a.m. yesterday.
“Outside PAR region, Carina will continue to move west northwestward over southeastern China. It will continue to weaken as it further interacts with the landmass,” PAGASA said.
It said Carina is less likely to directly bring heavy rainfall in any part of the country.
However, it will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring heavy rains in Ilocos Region, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Zambales, and Bataan last night.
It will also bring moderate to heavy rainfall in the western portion of Luzon last night up to Saturday, PAGASA said.
RESCUE, RELIEF
President Marcos Jr. directed agencies to prioritize rescue and relief efforts.
“We stand ready to support and rebuild with a comprehensive aftercare plan to help our kababayans recover,” Marcos said in a social media post after a situational briefing at the Presidential Security Command compound.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, during the briefing, said LGUs from five regions sought yesterday additional 100,000 family food packs (FFPs) each, or 500,000, to augment the current resources.
“We are ready to supply that, we are just waiting for the LGUs to pick them up,” Gatchalian said, adding that the under their normal arrangements with LGUs, it is the local government that would pick up the food packs and non-food relief items from the warehouse used by the DSWD.
This is on top of the 360,228 FFPs that were prepositioned and released on Wednesday and Thursday to LGUs that were severely affected by the super typhoon. This includes the 39,038 released to the National Capital Region (NCR); 171,147 to Central Luzon; 90,957 to Calabarzon; 38,766 to Mimaropa; and 20,000 to Bicol.
A total of 7,000 families, or nearly 30,000 individuals, received relief packs consisting of 3 kilos of rice, canned goods, coffee and other items, as well as P5,000 in financial aid under the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) of the DSWD as facilitated by the office of Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“We have initiated the distribution of relief packs since yesterday to ensure that affected citizens receive the essential supplies they need during this challenging time,” he said, citing his team’s experience during typhoon Yolanda that destroyed almost everything in its path over 10 years ago.
Caritas Philippines said it is coordinating with dioceses and archdioceses affected by the calamity to provide assistance to affected communities.
The Archdiocese of Manila has ordered the conduct of second collections during all Masses this weekend.
CLASSES
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said schools damaged by Carina and the southwest monsoon will have to postpone the opening of classes on July 29.
Angara said he will be issuing today, Friday, a list of schools which will have their school openings deferred.
He added he has directed DepEd regional directors to work with the principals of these schools to assess their readiness to resume classes.
On Wednesday, the DepEd said 45 schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas sustained damage due to Carina and the southwest monsoon.
The DepEd estimated the cost of repair to reach P308 million.
Meanwhile, 21 schools in Calabarzon and National Capital Region are also being used as evacuation center for residents affected by the massive flooding.
DOLE AID
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said he has issued directives to regional offices to ready the department’s assistance programs to affected workers.
Among the programs to be offered, he said, is the emergency employment program known as Tulong Pang-hanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
TUPAD is a community-based program that provides temporary employment to workers affected by calamities in exchange of the minimum daily pay prevailing in the area.
“We will particularly offer TUPAD to workers affected by ‘Carina’ and the habagat,” said Laguesma.
Currently, he said their field personnel are gathering data on how many workers have been displaced by the calamity.
“I’m waiting for the assessment reports from our regional directors as our field personnel have just started to coordinate with LGUs and program partners,” said Laguesma.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) provided assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stranded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City after their flights were delayed due to bad weather.
In a social media post, the DMW reported that Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac went to NAIA to check on the condition of the stranded OFWs.
“The Secretary assured the OFWs of assistance while they are waiting for their delayed or rebooked flights,” said DMW.
He also visited the Migrant Workers Airport Assistance Center at the NAIA Terminal 1.
“This is to ensure that the Center is ready to assist OFWs and facilitate their safe departure,” said the DMW.
DAMAGE TO AGRI
Initial cost of damage to the agriculture sector on the combined effects of southwest monsoon and typhoon Carina is now at P203.38 million, up by 29.7 percent from the previous P156.79 million, according to latest data from the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
The DA attached agency said as of 8 a.m. yesterday, southwest monsoon and Carina’s total cost of damage is equivalent to 2,574 metric tons (MT) of goods tended by 9,198 farmers and fisherfolk in 10,688 hectares of affected areas.
DA said the current monitoring captured data on damage recorded from the regions of Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Caraga and Soccsksargen.
Bulk of Carina’s recorded damage is from rice at P191.53 million equivalent to 2,229 MT followed by 219 MT of high value crops worth P8.5 million.
P3.27 million worth of 56 MT corn were also recorded as damaged alongside P80,900 for 2,323 heads of livestock.
DA said among assistance currently available for distribution to affected farmers and fishers include 72,174 bags of rice seeds; 39,546 bags of corn seeds; 59,600 pouches and 1,966 kilograms of vegetable seeds.
The agency added there is also the Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council with loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest; quick response fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas; and indemnification from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.
POWER
The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said it is working round the clock to restore electricity service to customers.
Meralco said that at the height of the rains on Wednesday, more than 600,000 customers experienced service interruptions mostly in Metro Manila followed by Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite as well as portions of Laguna, Batangas and Quezon Province.
As of 10 a.m. yesterday, the company said, affected customers are down to around 330,000 customers.
The company explained that outages are predominantly due to heavy flooding across Meralco’s service areas apart from the effects of fallen trees and foreign objects obstructing power lines.
“We ask for your patience and understanding amid power disruptions caused by heavy floods caused by super typhoon Carina and the intensified southwest monsoon. The safety of our customers and Meralco line crews is our top priority as we continue to actively monitor the situation,” said Joe Zaldarriaga, Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications, in a statement.
“Rest assured, our crews will immediately be deployed to restore power in the affected areas once the floodwaters recede and everyone’s safety is assured,” Zaldarriaga added.
One Meralco Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Meralco, also mobilized employee volunteers for immediate relief efforts and prepared thousands of relief packs that include rice, canned goods, coffee packs and biscuits.
As of Wednesday evening, thousands of relief packs were already turned over to the Pasig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for distribution as emergency aid to affected families. — With Jocelyn Montemayor, Ashzel Hachero, Christian Oineza, Wendell Vigilia, Jed Macapagal, and Gerard Naval
