Government ends seaborne retrieval operations in CDO, Iligan

MANILA, Philippines - The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has ordered the termination of combined seaborne retrieval operations in the flashflood-devastated cities of Cagayan and Iligan as a result of tropical storm “Sendong” last month.

NDRRMC executive director and defense Undersecretary Benito Ramos said the Navy and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) search teams have already failed to fish out a single fatality at sea for the past five days.

However, he said land-based retrieval will continue and efforts are underway to recover those who are still believed buried in flood debris, like logs, mud and sand, along the riverbanks and flood-stricken villages.

The NDRRMC’s total count of flashflood fatalities in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan alone, has reached 1,195 with still undetermined number of individuals still missing.

Alongside the land-based retrieval is the cleanup operation to prepare the ground for rehabilitation and relocation of the thousands of families out of the disaster-stricken communities to safer areas.

Ramos said that other concerned agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH) are also on hand to address food and health concerns of the evacuees.

Maj. Eugenio Julio Osias IV, spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division, said the retrieval teams’ latest recovery was on Christmas Day when two bodies  – a man’s and a woman’s – were dug up in Barangay Makasanding in Cagayan de Oro.

Vaccines were provided to address the rising leptospirosis cases in various evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro City.

Streamers and tarpaulins were also installed in various evacuation centers to remind the evacuees of the danger of the deadly disease.

As this developed, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the government should give for free the housing units it plans to build for the victims and make “corporate loggers and pineapple plantation operators” finance the entire project.

“The proposal to charge P200,000 for a housing unit in the 84-hectare housing project of National Housing Administration (NHA) is sheer profiteering and taking advantage of people’s misery,” said Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap.

The group, citing findings from various sectors, blamed the loggers and the plantation for the flashfloods.

Moratorium on SSS, GSIS premium payments

At the House of Representatives, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and his brother Maximo, of the party-list group Abante Mindanao filed Resolution 2021 proposing a one-year moratorium on the payment of premiums and loans to the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System by residents of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City.

The proposed moratorium also covers premium and loan payments to the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-Ibig Fund.

The two congressmen said that aside from declaring a payment moratorium, the three agencies should immediately approve pending loan applications of members from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

They pointed out that a payment moratorium and the approval of pending loan applications “would tremendously help our brothers and sisters who were victimized by Sendong and who lost most, if not all of their belongings including their houses and even their loved ones.”

The Rodriguez brothers earlier filed Bill 5663, which seeks the appropriation of P2 billion for the reconstruction of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

They said their constituents badly need government help, particularly funds for rebuilding their communities, “to be able to recover from the recent tragedy and start a new life.”

“In the short term, there is a need to provide basic necessities to the evacuees including food and non-food items and a way to give them access to proper hygiene. Also, debris cleanup is a priority as well as provisions for temporary shelter before school and classes resume,” they said.

They proposed that the P2 billion be released to the appropriate departments and agencies that will help the local government units and the people rebuild Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

They pointed out that their proposal for a reconstruction fund is not without precedent, noting that in 2008, after typhoon “Frank” devastated Iloilo City and other parts of Western Visayas, the House and the Senate appropriated additional funding in the billions for the rebuilding of these areas. 

Lending a helping hand

Meanwhile, San Miguel Corp., Petron Corp., and their employees banded together to provide an estimated P12 million worth of product and cash donations for the storm victims of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

The donations, channeled through various government agencies, government officials, and non-government organizations, included 20,000 cases of Magnolia PureWater, equivalent to 480,000 bottles. On Christmas and New Year’s Eve, some 650 pieces of Purefoods Fiesta Ham and media noche packs were also distributed. Employees also donated portions of their Christmas bonus, which amounted to P1,555,755.00.

The San Miguel Foundation, the firm’s social development arm, said that these funds will be used for the rehabilitation of schools, in partnership with the Department of Education.

The San Miguel Foundation was also able to collect 3,000 kilos of used clothes and blankets donated by employees across the company’s businesses.

“It’s heartening to know that many of our employees responded immediately in this time of great need,” said San Miguel Foundation executive director Camille Buenaventura.

Aside from the donations, Petron Corp., through the Petron Foundation and its employee volunteers, also quickly organized the “Sagip Alalay” disaster response program, in partnership with San Miguel Corp., DSWD, and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA).

Volunteers from Petron’s Depot and Plant Operations and National Sales Divisions in CDO and Iligan, service station dealers, and employees from Bank of Commerce and San Miguel Purefoods, joined forces to undertake relief operations and soup kitchens in 21 evacuation centers, benefiting nearly 6,000 families from the hardest-hit areas in the two provinces.

A portion of the cash raised by Petron employees, partners and friends were used to purchase school supplies for at least 2,000 children in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, in time for the reopening of classes after the Christmas break. – Ding Cervantes, Jess Diaz