Iloilo to declare state of calamity due to ‘Ursula’

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. wants a uniform “enhanced community quarantine pass” throughout the province. IAN PAUL CORDERO/PN

ILOILO – The provincial government is pushing to declare a state of calamity due to typhoon “Ursula,” which wrought havoc and forced thousands into evacuation centers in the province’s northern portion on Christmas Day.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. is just waiting for the final report of typhoon-ravaged municipalities in the 5th District before he could ask the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to place the entire province under a state of calamity.

As of Dec. 27, Ursula’s death toll climbed to 24 as more deaths were reported from the tropical cyclone that plowed through parts of Luzon and Visayas.

 “Sa subong, ginahulat pa naton ang total damage report sang mga kabanwahanan. We need data so that we could request properly from the SP and access five percent of the calamity fund,” Defensor said.

Among the towns that have yet to pass its damage report includes Carles, Estancia, Batad, Balasan, San Dionisio, Lemery, Concepcion, San Rafael, Sara, Ajuy, and Barotac Viejo.

Defensor said the towns’ local government officials are expected to submit their report by January 2020. 

Should the report be completed, Defensor said he will issue a resolution as the chairman of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) requesting the SP to enact such declaration.

Several areas in Western Visayas were also placed under a state of calamity: the provinces of Aklan and Capiz; Kalibo town in Aklan; Pandan in Antique; and Balasan, Carles, Batad, and Concepcion in Iloilo province.

The northern part of Western Visayas was under typhoon signal No. 3 from the night of Dec. 24 to the afternoon of Dec. 25. “Ursula” pummelled it with heavy rains that resulted to flashfloods and strong winds that blew away houses and toppled electric posts and trees.

On Dec. 26, Defensor visited and checked several areas in the northern part of the province, where he personally saw severe damage to agricultural sector brought by the typhoon, citing production losses in Sara town where 70 to 80 percent of its agricultural crops were devastated. 

Ang ginapreparahan naton subong ang damage sa agriculture, ang common sa pila ka munisipyo amo nga nagguba ang humay kag mais. Sa banwa sang Sara ang estimate sang ila municipal administrator 70 to 80 percent guba ang ani,”the governor said.

He added: “Ang plano naton kon mag-abot na ang tiempo nga mabulig kita sa aton mangungoma, we have to request for a declaration of state of calamity from SP, we cannot do that now because kinahanglan naton mabal-an ang level kon ano gid ang damage sa agriculture kay dira naga-depende ang pangayuon naton nga pundo,” Defensor said.

Defensor also braces for possible food shortage in the fifth District after most of the farmlands incurred damage.

‘Kon wala sang ani may gutom kita kag kinahanglan mabulig kita sa dason nga planting season,” he added.

Defensor said he is currently enjoining the affected towns to submit their report so the provincial government could immediately record the extent of the damage.

“Subong, ginabuligan naton ang kada banwa nga masustinter ang relief operation requirements nila,” he added./PN

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