N. Ecija lost P2.3-B crops, infra to Santi – PDRRMC

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The province of Nueva Ecija, considered the country’s rice granary, lost over P2.3 billion worth of crops, infrastructure and flood control systems during the onslaught of Typhoon Santi.      

Abraham Pascua of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said the figure was arrived at after reports from the local government units in the five cities and 27 municipalities in the province were validated.

“This damage assessment report is final, official and validated,” Pascua said.

The figure was considerably lower than the estimate based on initial ocular inspection.      

Earlier, Gov. Aurelio Umali said initial assessment placed the damage at P2.7 billion. But disaster officials said the actual damage could climb to P3 billion if damage to properties would be included as 75,914 houses were destroyed.

Based on PDRRMC figures, the fourth congressional district comprising Gapan City and the towns of Cabiao, Gen. Tinio, Jaen, Peñaranda, San Antonio, San Isidro and San Leonardo accounts for the biggest crop damage at P741.8 million.

This was followed by the third congressional district covering the cities of Cabanatuan and Palayan and the towns of Bongabon, Gabaldon, Gen. Natividad, Laur and Sta. Rosa which incurred P549.57 million in crop damage, and the first congressional district (Aliaga, Cuyapo, Guimba, Licab, Nampicuan, Quezon, Sto. Domingo, Talavera and Zaragoza) which lost P549.52 million worth of crops damage.

The second congressional district (Muñoz City, San Jose City, Carranglan, Llanera, Lupao, Pantabangan, Rizal and Talugtug) registered the lowest crop damage at P385 million.

In term of rice, the province lost P1.9 billion; P3.7 million in corn; P141.2 million worth of vegetables; P160.9 million worth of high-value crops and P241 million worth of livestock.

Two cities and four towns lost at least P100 million worth of palay each. Cabanatuan was the hardest-hit, losing P149.3 million worth of palay, followed by Sta. Rosa (P129.4 million), Guimba (P128.5 million), San Antonio (P127.6 million), Gapan City (P109.8 million) and Cabiao (P102.7 million).

In terms of infrastructure, damage was placed at P162.9 million involving P134.6 million worth of road networks and P28.3 million in flood control systems.

 Pascua said the typhoon affected 111,915 families or 513,159 people.

Jaen recorded the most number of damaged houses with 11,649 followed by Cabanatuan (8,656) and Zaragoza (8,371).

Cabanatuan registered the most number of affected families with 32,897, followed by Aliaga with 13,165; Jaen 11,649 and Zaragoza 10,689 families.