As Urduja leaves and Philippines braces for Vinta: Deaths now at 40

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Tropical storm Urduja has killed 40 since it made landfall in Eastern Visayas three days ago. As of yesterday, 34 remain missing while 14 local government units were placed under a state of calamity.

Chief Insp. Ma. Bella Rentuaya, information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO) - 8, said that as of 4 p.m. yesterday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has recorded 26 deaths in Biliran, six in Leyte, two in Samar, three in Eastern Samar, two in Ormoc City, and one in Tacloban City.

Meanwhile, 27 are still missing in Biliran, one in Southern Leyte, and seven in Eastern Samar.

She said retrieval operations are still ongoing in areas hit by floods and landslides in the region.

Meanwhile, the local government units placed under a state of calamity include Northern Samar, Western Samar, Biliran, Zumaraga, Dolores, Can-avid, Giporlos, Quinapondan, Llorente, Oras, Tanauan, Barugo, Sta. Fe, San Miguel, and Tacloban City.

OCD-8 also reported that 1,883 passengers were stranded at different ports in the region, mostly in Jubasan and Allen in Northern Samar.

Urduja displaced 77,674 across Region 8 – 6,578 in Northern Samar; 3,244 in Samar; 48, 383 in Eastern Samar; 15, 603 in Leyte; and 2, 266 in Biliran.

Cebu situation

In Cebu, nine municipalities and one city have also been placed under a state of calamity. 

These include Bantayan, Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Medellin, Sogod, Tabogon, Borbon, Santa Fe, Madridejos, and Bogo City.

“Despite pressing preparation on the approximate landfall of the typhoon, damage was still extensive to some parts/ islands within the territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu,” reads the resolution passed by the Provincial Board.

“There's no need nga atong langayon because this is an emergency,” said Vice Governor Agnes Magpale.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Baltazar Tribunalo said his office recommended the declaration after assessment of the damage Urduja left at the local government units.

Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot said he is grateful for the Capitol’s decision so that funds can be utilized.

“We can utilize our unspent funds for the purpose of repairs and rehabilitation and assistance sa mga damages nga nahitabo,” he said.

Under RA 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, a government unit can declare a state of calamity if there is “mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard.”

PDRRMO recorded damage in infrastructure, particularly in roads and agriculture, in 19 local government units in northern Cebu.

Tribunalo said most of the damage in agriculture is on bananas and root crops like peanuts and sweet potato.

Marlon Pacana, DRRM officer of Bantayan town, told The Freeman that Urduja also affected seaweed production in the town. On top of this, fishermen there were forced not to sail for four days due to the weather disturbance.

Manuel Conde, DRRM officer of San Remigio town, said some motorized boats and one non-motorized boat in the town have been damaged by the storm.

Vinta

Meanwhile, local government units are also preparing for the arrival of yet another weather disturbance, which will be named Vinta, once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PRA).

Based on PAGASA forecast, it is expected to enter PAR at about the same time Urduja leaves the country this week.

Early satellite images show Vinta to be bigger than Urduja.

At the Police Regional Office (PRO) - 7 in Cebu, Director Jose Mario Espino said his men, particularly the search and rescue units, are on standby to help disaster response teams in the towns.

“Ang ating mga kapulisan lalo na dun sa northern Cebu are on standby waiting for any help that will be asked by the local government unit,” Espino said.

“Ang kapulisan naman always on alert if ever there is a typhoon warning we are ready to serve yung local government units at naka ready yung ating search and rescue teams, to provide the necessary aid and help para sa bayan natin,” he added.

Senior Supt. Edgar Alan Okubo of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) also said his men will also continue patrolling areas affected by Urduja in northern Cebu.

“Continues ang assessment natin diyan especially na nadaanan ang north area. Ini-activate naman natin ang lahat ng mga kapulisan natin na mag-assist. We are ready,” Okubo said.

Assistance

Following the damaged caused by Urduja, the Cebu archdiocese reactivated its social action arm, Cebu Caritas, Inc. to gather donations for the storm survivors.

“We directly mobilize personnel in our Cebu Caritas, Inc. and also including the priests. I am sure parishes would make readily announcements in a support to collect donations and other ways of reaching out for the survivors,” said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

He said that in these trying times, it is important for people to reflect on opening themselves in lending a hand to those in need.

“During these times of calamities, we turn to our hearts and think of those who were affected by the typhoons… Sad enough, this happened,” he said.

Knowing that Philippines is prone to natural disasters like tropical cyclones, Palma said helping one another is vital as doing so can breed resilience and hope.

“If there are people who would reach out, they (survivors) would feel that they are not alone and they would feel the hope to strive anew,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7) also extended aid in the form of food packs.

At least 20,000 food packs have been allotted for families in Biliran province.

Each food pack for one family contains six kilograms rice, four canned meat, four canned fish; and six sachets of coffee.

DSWD-7 information officer Leah Quintana said 906 in Dumaguete City received the food packs upon the request of the Department of Education. These were participants of DepEd's Regional Festival of Talents held in the city that stayed at the schools where they were billeted.

In Cebu, the Madridejos municipal government has 6,806 food packs ready for distribution.

At least 5,000 food packs were also transported to Medellin town and another 4,200 to Daanbantayan.

Food packs from DSWD’s regional warehouse in Cebu City will also be distributed to Poro (500 boxes), Pilar (1,000 boxes), Tabogon (500 boxes), and Toledo City (2,000 boxes).

Yesterday, the Cebu City government explained it can no longer extend assistance to Naval in Biliran whose residents are in need of drinking water.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said shipping water will be “very expensive” and the city no longer has funds to spare. 

“I think the province is capable of covering that. We’re already out of funds. It’s the end of the year. Water is a very expensive thing to ship because it’s heavy and the consumption of one person is not one-half bottle,” he told reporters.

“Just because they are in trouble doesn’t mean we can help. We’re not even in touch with them. Basically, for us, it’s the end of the year already and we’re not in the position to mobilize unless it’s a matter of life and death,” he added.

Osmeña said the national government can address the concerns of the areas affected by the storm.

He suggested that the national government put up a plant in the area to purify the water from the various sources in the province.

“They should put up a plant there to purify water. It cannot by buying nature spring and send it to them,” he said. — with Lorraine Mitzi A. Ambrad, Mae Clydyl L. Avila, Ermida Q. Moradas, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Ashlee Love Marzon (FREEMAN)