42 remain missing from storm `Kristine’
THE death toll from “Kristine” increased yesterday to 110 persons, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC), as authorities continued to conduct search and rescue operations in some areas that remained flooded two days after the severe tropical storm left the country.
NDRRMC spokesman Edgar Posadas said the number fatalities, who are mostly from the worst-hit Bicol and Calabarzon regions, may further increase as 42 persons remained missing as of yesterday morning.
Posadas earlier said it is “possible” the death toll would reach 100, or the figure could go down if some fatalities are determined to be not directly related to Kristine.
Posadas also said only nine of the 110 deaths have been “validated” to be directly related to Kristine while the rest are still subject to ongoing validation. The NDRMMC casualty toll comes from reports of the Office of Civil Defense which in turn come from reports of local government and police officials.
President Marcos Jr. told Bicolanos anew that his administration would provide what they need to recover.
“Right now, it’s about making sure families in Camarines Sur have what they need to begin getting back on their feet. By air, land, or sea, we’ll keep the support coming. Sama-sama tayong babangong muli (We will rise again together),” the President said in his Facebook and Instagram accounts.
He also said four truckloads of rice from the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, National Food Authority, and the Food Terminal Incorporated arrived yesterday in Naga city “to help families affected by Kristine.
The NDRRMC said 1,415,438 families or 5,784,298 persons were affected by Kristine in 8,895 barangays in 16 regions. Bicol had the highest number of affected population — 548,306 families or 2,492,223 persons.
Of the total affected, 273,267 families (1,018,511 persons) have been displaced although the number was down to 139,439 families (560,896 persons) as of yesterday morning. Bicol also have the most still-displaced population — 73,442 families or 321,365 persons.
The NDRRMC said flooding was monitored in 638 areas in 13 regions. Posadas said 288 of these areas were still flooded as of yesterday, mostly in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Bicol.
Office of Civil Defense administrator and concurrent NDRRMC executive director Ariel Nepomuceno said there were no more isolated areas, noting they have reached all affected areas.
“But there are many areas which we are having difficulty reaching. We need rubber boats (to reach them), they are not accessible to regular land vehicles,” he said.
He said flooding in some areas were neck-deep.
Pressed if relief goods were able to reach all the affected persons, Nepomuceno said, “As far as I know, we already reached them. But if there are those who are yet to be reached, just say so we can send help.”
Marcos on Saturday visited Naga City and conducted an aerial inspection in Camarines Sur. He handed P50 million to Albay, P30 million to Naga City, and P50 million to Camarines Sur.
On Friday, he conducted an aerial inspection in Cavite, Batangas and Laguna.
The President has assured the affected that systems are in place to assist them.
GOODS AIRLIFTED
Posadas said responders are having difficulty transporting goods to Bicol and in some areas in Calabarzon, specifically in Batangas and Cavite, due to flooding.
“Sending them by land is a challenge, It’s either there’s heavy traffic or flooding. So what we did is to really maximize the air route,” said Posadas.
Posadas said at least 17 aircraft, including C-130 planes, of the Philippine Air Force are being used in the transport of food and non-food items to the affected areas.
Posadas said the air forces of Singapore and Malaysia have sent a C-130 plane and a rotary heavy-lift helicopter, respectively, to help in the relief operations.
“I believe additional aircraft from Brunei is due to arrive sometime today (Sunday) or tomorrow (Monday),” said Posadas.
Posadas said search and rescue teams are still deployed for search and rescue operations, and additional rescuers have been sent to the flooded areas.
Nepomuceno said they now have enough rescue personnel in the flooded areas, from various agencies, including the Armed Forces.
“We have more than 10,000 personnel … We have more than 1,000 teams currently deployed,” he said.
DAMAGE
Cost of damage to agriculture sector as of 9 a.m. yesterday was P3.11 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
The damage in 11 regions — CAR, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsksargen and Caraga — is equivalent to 160,107 metric tons (MT) of goods tended by 74,554 farmers and fishers in 72,329 hectares (ha) of affected areas.
Bulk of the damage is from rice at P2.87 billion equivalent to 152,440 MT from a total of 69,976 ha wherein 43,505 ha or 62.17 percent is partially damaged while the remaining 26,471 ha or 37.83 percent is totally damaged.
Rice damage was followed by followed by 6,014 MT of high value crops worth P121.08 million, P41.66 million from farm structures, P26 million from irrigation facilities, P22.27 million from 1,461 MT of corn, P11.20 million from 66 MT of fisheries, P6.55 million from 126 MT of cassava and P3.73 million from 2,862 heads of livestock and poultry.
Meanwhile, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said that as of 7 a.m. yesterday, it already restored power service to most customers affected by Kristine as its crews and personnel continue to work to bring back service in remaining storm-hit areas.
Meralco said customers affected by service interruptions are down to around 6,000 — mostly in parts of Cavite and Laguna — which is less than one percent of its total customer count.
As for the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), the company said that as of 1 p.m. on Saturday, it has completely restored all loads affected by Kristine.
However, NGCP said its overall command center remains activated as the company continues to monitor weather disturbances.
AID
Department of Social Welfare and Development Assistant Secretary and spokeswoman Irene Dumlao, in radio interviews, said over P266.5 million worth of family food packs and non-food items such as hygiene kits, sleeping kits and kitchen kits has been distributed to the families affected in 15 regions.
Dumlao said an initial P1.5 million worth of cash under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation has also been distributed to some beneficiaries.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said at least 83,000 workers in Bicol will be provided emergency employment opportunities by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay for Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program.
“We have received initial reports from Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Albay, wherein more or less 83,000 beneficiaries have been identified,” he said.
He said the beneficiaries will be primarily tasked to help in the cleaning and clearing operations “not just be for public roads but also around their respective houses.”
TUPAD Program provides emergency employment for displaced workers for 10 to 30 days, depending on the nature of the work. In turn, the beneficiaries will be paid the highest minimum wage for private sector workers in the region.
The Department of Education said close to 20 million learners in over 38,000 schools in 16 regions were affected by Kristine, including 1,047 schools being used as evacuation centers.
The DepEd also said it would need P680.50 million to undertake “major repairs” on damaged classrooms and another P2.7 billion for reconstruction.
‘LEON’
Kristine brought heavy rains in Bicol and other areas before making landfall in Isabela last Thursday. It exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) last Friday.
On Saturday night, a tropical depression entered PAR and was given the name Leon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Leon was some 1,000 km east of Central Luzon. It was moving westward at 20 kph with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
Leon is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines.
PAGASA said Leon will move generally northwestward today until Tuesday, then north northwestward on Wednesday and Thursday.
“On the track forecast, Leon remains far from the Philippine landmass and may pass very close or make landfall over Taiwan or the southwestern portion of the Ryukyu Islands,” PAGASA said.
It said Leon may intensify into a severe tropical storm today and then to typhoon on Tuesday. It may exit the PAR on Thursday or Friday.
‘STRATEGIC SHIFT’
Sen. Loren Legarda called on local leaders for a “strategic shift” in disaster risk reduction and management as she underscored that community-centered, locally driven initiatives are essential to safeguarding lives and building resilience across the country.
Legarda said local chief executives play a critical role in understanding disaster and climate risks within their respective jurisdictions.
“Local leaders must not only recognize these dangers, but also educate their constituents and work together and to mitigate them [as well]. The aftermath of severe tropical storm Kristine underscores the need for proactive measures at the local level,” Legarda said.
Legarda said effective risk management must prioritize local community engagement and capacity building despite the country’s well-developed disaster risk reduction policies and increasing awareness of climate change risks.
For this, Legarda said she will organize workshops for LGUSs which will focus on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation starting next month.
“This commitment is about ensuring that preparedness reaches the last mile and is practiced by the people most at risk,” she added. – With Jocelyn Montemayor, Jed Macapagal, Ashzel Hachero, Gerard Naval, and Raymond Africa