Search, rescue teams race against time

MANILA, Philippines - Search and rescue teams are racing against time in their ongoing retrieval operations at the quake-devastated villages of Negros Oriental due to a monitored bad weather system within the Central Visayas region.

Citing an advisory from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) administrator and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) head Benito Ramos said they are expecting heavy rains in the province in the days ahead due to the prevailing low pressure area in the eastern part of Mindanao.

“The weather disturbance might bring widespread rains over the whole of Visayas and the north and eastern part of Mindanao for the next 24 hours. The continued rains is expected to trigger flashfloods and landslides in Negros Oriental,” weather forecaster Samuel Duran said.

However, Duran said that the low-pressure area is moving westward and would not intensify. It is expected to make landfall early this morning either in Surigao del Sur or in Davao.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was estimated to be at 230 kilometers east southeast of Hinatuan City, Surigao del Sur.

In its 24-hour forecast, PAGASA said Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao would experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms, becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the Bicol region.

As of yesterday, two more bodies were retrieved by rescue teams in Barangay Solongon in La Libertad and in barangay Planas, Guihulngan City.

Ramos identified one of the fatalities as Arthur Mahinay of barangay Planas. The other one was a female victim whose body was already in a state of decomposition.

On Friday, rescuers also recovered five bodies, three from barangay Planas and two from barangay Solongon. They also airlifted two survivors who were suffering from broken ribs in Kauswagan village in Guihulngan.

Ramos could not yet give an estimate of the damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges, and school buildings and houses caused by the 6.9 tremor that hit the province and neighboring areas last Monday.

“The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has yet to complete its damage report,” Ramos said.

More problems for quake victims

Aside from the mounting complaints of unequal distribution of relief goods, Guihulngan residents are also complaining of the outrageous increase in motorcycle fares.

David Findis, a British national married to a Filipina and living in Negros Oriental, lamented that tricycle drivers seemed to take advantage of the situation.

Findis said fuel prices in the affected areas have gone up from P60 to P150 per liter and habal-habal or motorcycle fares have also increased three to four times the usual fare, which is very hard for the average Filipino to pay.

“People here were unfortunate and were caught by surprise by the earthquake. Businessmen are taking advantage of the situation here, the government must act on this,” he said.

Findis also urged the government to fast-track the rehabilitation of the infrastructure even as he lauded its effort in distributing relief goods.

More relief goods pouring in

But it’s not only the government that’s keeping the victims’ hopes afloat.

Yesterday, relief goods arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on board a Russian civil defense aircraft.

Undersecretary Benjamin Martinez of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) received the 30 tons of relief goods from Russian Ambassador Nikolay Kudashev. - With Helen Flores, Rudy Santos, Rudy Dangcalan, Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano