DAMAGE to agriculture and infrastructure due to the southwest monsoon that was enhanced by three recent tropical cyclones, including tropical depression “Ineng” that exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) yesterday, has amounted to some P1.85 billion.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) placed the cost of damage to agriculture at P959.77 million in six regions — Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Cagayan Valley recorded a P528.62-million damage to agriculture while Western Visayas had P356.12 million, Mimaropa P66.38 million, Central Luzon P5.73 million, and CAR P2.88 million.
The cost of damage to infrastructure was pegged at P895.37 million — P597 million in Ilocos, P151.65 in Cagayan Valley, P106.53 million in CAR, and P40.19 million in Mimaropa.
The NDRRMC has yet to assess the cost of damage to 1,544 houses that were “totally” and “partially” damaged in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and CAR.
The number of persons affected by the weather disturbances also rose to 172,346 families or 638,967 individuals, the NDRRMC said.
They are from 1,829 barangays in eight regions — Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, CAR, and National Capital Region (NCR).
Of the number, 52,320 families or 189,864 individuals were displaced. However, the number of displaced was already down 929 families or 3,824 individuals as of yesterday — 479 families or 1,750 individuals are housed in 25 evacuation centers and 450 families or 2,074 individuals are staying with their relatives or friends.
The NDRRMC said P35.67 million worth of assistance, mostly family food packs, have been provided to those affected in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, CAR and NCR.
There are no changes in the number of deaths (two) and missing (one).
Six towns and cities have declared states of state of calamity, the NDRRMC said. These are the towns of Pototan and Leganes in Iloilo, Sibalom in Antique; San Enrique in Negros Occidental; and the cities of Bacolod and Bago in Negros Occidental.
Super typhoon “Goring” and typhoon “Hanna” exited the PAR Wednesday last week and last Monday, respectively.
Ineng, which developed into a tropical depression last Tuesday, exited the PAR at around 4 a.m. yesterday, PAGASA said.
PAGASA said Ineng and the remnants of Hanna “are still slightly enhancing the southwest monsoon, which will bring occasional rains over the western portions of northern and central Luzon in the next three days.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) asked residents in flooded areas, and those involved in rescue operations, to consult medical professionals if they need to take antibiotics to avoid leptospirosis.
“If you were exposed to flood water in your home or evacuation centers, ask for free antibiotics from the health center. It is called doxycycline,” said DOH spokesman Undersecretary Eric Tayag.
“For the rescue teams, they may need to have more dosage of prophylaxis as they were constantly exposed to flooding,” he also said.
Tayag said taking the prophylaxis “can reduce the threat of acquiring leptospirosis but it is not a guarantee that you won’t have leptospirosis.” — With Gerard Naval
