Agriculture, infra damage from ‘Ineng’ now P4B

MANILA, Philippines - The amount of infrastructure and agriculture damage caused by typhoon “Ineng” has breached P4 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said. 

In a report, NDRRMC said “Ineng” racked up P4.1 billion in damage to properties in Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon and Cordillera, the regions hardest hit by the typhoon. 

Damaged infrastructure accounted for more than half of the amount with P2.33 billion while agriculture damage hit P1.74 billion.

Damage to other properties like electrical posts and agricultural land reached P29.7 million. 

Ilocos region bore the brunt of the typhoon, sustaining P2.25 billion in damage while property damage in Cordillera totaled P1.75 billion. Agriculture and infrastructure damage in Cagayan hit P76.92 million while that of Central Luzon reached P17.36 million. 

A total of 5,742 houses were also damaged in Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Cordillera. 

NDRRMC spokesperson Mina Marasigan gave assurance that the government would provide assistance to the affected regions. 

“Because of the experience, we’ll go back to the drawing board. We cannot just restore normalcy. We need to build back better,” Marasigan told The STAR in a phone interview Friday.  

She said affected provinces are expected to come up with post-disaster reports, which would serve as the basis for their request for rehabilitation funds. 

The request will be endorsed to the regional civil defense office, which will then conduct an assessment. The report will be sent to the NDRRMC before it is forwarded to the Budget department. 

Marasigan said the government would respond to the needs of affected areas while complying with the requirements of the Commission of Audit. 

“We recognize the urgency and the need for assistance and we will do it judiciously,” she said. 

The government has allotted P14 billion for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund in the 2015 budget. 

The budget is intended “for aid, relief and rehabilitation services to communities/areas affected by man-made and natural calamities, and repair and reconstruction of permanent structures, including other capital expenditures for disaster operation, and rehabilitation activities.”

Of this amount, P13 billion constitute the calamity fund while P1 billion is allocated for the people’s survival fund.

Calamity fund may be tapped for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and other works or services, including pre-disaster activities, in connection with the occurrence of natural calamities, epidemics, crises resulting from armed conflicts and other catastrophes.

The people’s survival fund, meanwhile, is intended for adaptation projects and activities of local governments and community organizations.

The death toll from "Ineng" stood at 32. The latest fatality was identified as Paulita Angel, 53, who died in a landslide in Benguet. Eight persons are still missing.

Ineng, which left the Philippine area of responsibility last Aug. 23, has displaced 318,359 persons or 71,955 families in six regions.