FLOOD-HIT AURORA NOW UNDER STATE OF CALAMITY
BALER, AURORA, January 15, 2006 (STAR) By Manny Galvez - The provincial board has placed the entire province under a state of calamity following flash floods which have destroyed P55.6 million worth of infrastructure and agricultural crops in the past two weeks.The 12-man board, headed by Vice Gov. Annabelle Tangson, passed Resolution No. 1 during its special session last Wednesday declaring the state of calamity and authorizing the release and disbursement of the five percent calamity fund from the province’s general fund for 2005 for rehabilitation purposes.
Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, who chairs the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC), told The STAR that flood damage to infrastructure was placed at P40 million, and to agricultural crops, at P15 million.
Heavily damaged were the two-kilometer Dinadiawan national road connecting central Aurora with the so-called Dicadi area (Dilasag, Casiguran and Dilasag towns), and the Baler-Bongabon, San Luis-Baler-Pantabangan, Baler-Casiguran and Dinadiawan-Madela roads.
Medel Chua, district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways, said all roads though are now passable to all types of vehicles.
He said 12,000 families in Barangays Dianed and Dinadiawan in Dipaculao and Ditawini in Dinalungan, who were earlier isolated by floodwaters, now have access to central Aurora.
Chua, who was scolded by Sen. Edgardo Angara due to the DPWH’s slow response during the calamity, said they failed to act promptly since Barangay Dianed was opened to traffic only last Jan. 3.
He said the local DPWH barely has the equipment for road-clearing operations since they only have two graders, a loader and a 1984 model dump truck.
He added that they only rely on the help of contractors who lend their equipment.
Angara-Castillo said they were able to convince owners of private lands in the northern Aurora to allow vehicles to pass through their properties while roads were being restored.
She said it would take another week to restore the highway, which the floods have virtually turned into a river.
She said the provincial government prevented casualties during the floods due to its anti-flood master plan which mobilized 25 people in each of the 25 identified low-lying barangays.
This was contrary to newspaper reports that three villagers were swept away by floodwaters.
"The reason why no lives were lost is because our men are always ready to extend assistance during emergencies," she said.
She said she has received a commitment from Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, who chairs the National Disaster Coordinating Council, for funding for the rehabilitation of the affected areas.
The Philippine National Red Cross, she added, is also preparing relief goods for distribution to 12,000 affected households.
Angara-Castillo said she is initiating a fund-raising drive dubbed "Barya-barya para sa Aurora" to speed up the rehabilitation of the affected areas.
"All forms of assistance are welcome, whether cash or medicines," she said.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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