As quake destroys Bohol: P-Noy's visit boosts rebuilding plans

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines —  As the death toll from the earthquake that hit Bohol last Tuesday climbed to at least a hundred, the tragic situation of the province got a hint of hope of rising from the rubble when President Benigno Aquino III visited the place yesterday.

Aquino, accompanied by his cabinet secretaries, was briefed upon arrival by Gov. Edgar Chatto on the efforts of the provincial government in assisting the victims and in the continuing search and rescue operations.

Chatto thanked the president for visiting Bohol, which could boost the plans of rebuilding the province to its heydays of being a top tourist destination and agricultural producer. Together with City Mayor John Geesnell Yap and Reps. Rene Relampagos, Aris Aumentado and Arthur Yap, the governor also briefed Aquino of the calamity situation in the province.

The president arrived Bohol with Secretaries Dinky Soliman of DSWD, Singson of DPWH, Mar Roxas of DILG, Abaya of DOTC, Rene Almendras and Ricky Carandang, and Phivolcs director Renato Solidum.

Solidum told Aquino that Phivolcs will be sending experts here to conduct information drive to allay fears of the people who were still gripped with fear due to inaccurate infos, especially on tsunami alert. He added that some scientists are also coming to assess the effects of the devastating quake.

The president spoke on the reconstruction of the destroyed centuries-old churches in Bohol, citing a law empowering agencies to do the job and adding that the private sector could even help in this concern.

Charlie Tantingco, in-charge of the museum here, said experts and other officials of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts and National Museum are expected today to inspect the extent of the damage on old churches and other structures of cultural heritage.

Destroyed churches were the famed old churches in the towns of Loon, Loboc and Dauis, while those with damaged portions were those in Tagbilaran and in the towns of Loay, Dimiao, Calape, Cortes, Baclayon, Trinidad, Lila, Sikatuna, Clarin, Panglao, Corella and Tubigon.

On the power situation, Almendras told The Freeman that about 62 percent of power supply was restored in the province, with 21 towns served by the Bohol Electric Cooperative I fully restored. Only 18 towns were still in darkness, but the secretary vowed to restore power within two to three days.

On food supply, DTI-7 regional director Aster Caberte assured the people of enough stocks for the next several days but expressed apprehension on how to transport these to devastated areas where some roads have remained impassable. Caberte told the president that DTI-7 has implemented the "mandatory freeze of prices" of basic commodities to prevent manipulation and hoarding.

Chatto further briefed Aquino on the data of fatalities and injuries, the number of which has been rising, the highest toll of which was 38 in Loon town where its centuries-old church was also destroyed. Tubigon town had the most number of injured at 58, which may increase when search and rescue operations go on, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

The PDRRMC said the causes of deaths were landslides, collapsed structures and fallen trees. Landslides occurred in Cortes, Loon, Loboc, Dimiao, Bilar, Clarin, Lila and Corella towns.

Bohol province is now under state of calamity and Mayor Yap said classes of all levels have to be suspended until Monday. City Hall employees held office outside, the front yard of which virtually became a tent city for evacuated residents.

Meanwhile in Larena town of Siquijor province, the belfry of an old church was damaged, and three buildings incurred cracks, including the DENR provincial office. There were also damages in Maria and Enrique Villanueva towns, while a 76-year-old man when a cement wall of his house fell on him during the quake.

The provincial government had also declared Siquijor under state of calamity. — with reports from Angeline Valencia and Renan Lapinig Ansing (FREEMAN)