BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (PIA) – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya declared the province under ‘State of Calamity’ due to the severe effects and damages of super typhoon ‘Pepito’ to the lives and properties of Novo Vizcayanos.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council earlier recommended to the SP the urgent ‘State of Calamity’ declaration following the huge devastation left by the super typhoon.
With the declaration of the province under ‘State of Calamity’, the local government and its 15 municipalities can now use their Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Funds for relief assistance and disaster response measures.
The declaration also mandates the price freeze on all basic necessities and prime commodities under Republic Act No. 7581, or the Price Act for 60 days.
A partial damage report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office bared nearly P1.4 billion-worth of damages with the agriculture sector registering the highest damage at nearly P1 billion.
The report showed crops alone sustained approximately P917 million in damage, while the livestock sector lost around P11 million.
Super typhoon Pepito’s damage to infrastructure was estimated at over P200 million, which includes wrecked bridges and roads at the national, provincial, municipal, and barangay levels, including flood control systems, which cost more than P52 million. Irrigation systems received P9 million in damages, and damaged schools also registered an estimated cost of damages of over P80 million.
Super typhoon ‘Pepito’ also left seven villagers dead in the upland town of Ambaguio after a landslide buried them while three injured villagers were recovered.
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. recently visited the province, particularly in Bambang, and led the distribution of relief assistance to residents who were victims of super typhoon ‘Pepito’.
He also handed P50 million in typhoon relief assistance to Governor Jose Gambito and vowed to provide more help to typhoon victims and the damaged infrastructures in the province.
Governor Jose Gambito assured Novo Vizcayanos that President Marcos’ assistance would be used to help typhoon victims recover from the calamity.
“We will rise from the damage caused by this typhoon. I am committed to working closely with the national government to secure the necessary funds for our province’s recovery efforts. I urge all Vizcayanos to come together as one community, united in our efforts to rebuild and recover stronger together,” he said. (BME/PIA NVizcaya)
