TS Seniang leaves 2 dead, 33,055 families affected
in AgSur
By David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, January 6 (PIA) - Tropical Storm
(TS) “Seniang” perceived by many Agusanons as the most disastrous as it
affected 33,055 families or 124,767 persons and left two persons dead in 11
municipalities in Agusan del Sur that submitted reports to the Provincial
Disaster Risk Reduction Council (PDRRMC), as of January 4, 2015.
According to PRDDMC, they are still awaiting for
the final report from the City of Bayugan, municipalities of San Luis and
Talacogon as to affected families or persons during the PDRRMC’s reporting.
According to the reports, the municipality of
Bunawan has the highest affected families reaching 9,440 or 43,578 persons from
10 barangays, followed by Esperanza with 6,696 families and no headcount of the
number of persons from 12 barangays. Ranking third is La Paz with 6,657
families or 30,083 persons from 15 barangays while Prosperidad claimed 4th
having 5,737 families with 27,595 persons from 22 barangays.
As embodied in their respective plans, all the 13
municipalities and the lone city of Bayugan had utilized all their evacuation
centers where Sibagat town had filled their nine evacuation centers, Talacogon
with four, San Luis also nine, Esperanza with 20 evacuation centers, Prosperida
with 10, San Francisco with eight, Rosario with three, Bunawan with 14, Trento
with two, Sta. Josefa with five, Veruela with two, Loreto with one, La Paz with
three and San Luis with nine evacuation centers, with a total of 2,734 affected
families evacuated.
There are two casualties that were recorded by the
PDRRMC identified as Pepe Ares, 50 years old from Mikit, San Martin,
Prosperidad who died due to landslide and CJ Florentino from Barangay 4, San
Francisco, Agusan del Sur who died from drowning. LGUs have already extended
burial assistance to the bereaved families.
All the affected families provincewide were
extended relief foods and goods from the Department of Social Welfare and
Development-Caraga Region and their respective local government units during
disaster and after the actual flooding ranging from canned goods to packed
groceries as contents of family packs. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Frequent rainfall drags sked of Hubo River detour
bridge reconstruction in SurSur
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Jan. 6 (PIA) – The Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1st Congressional District Office in Surigao
del Sur admitted that the frequent occurrence of rain has stalled the
reconstruction of detour bridge traversing the Hubo River in Barangay Buhisan,
San Agustin town, 64.5 kilometers south, this city.
District engineer Joseph Calderon said in a text
message that DPWH Caraga Regional Office set the work to put back in place the
detour bridge within two weeks.
The said bridge, which serves as the shortest link
to get to Tandag City and other neighboring towns in the central and northern
part of the province after San Agustin, was washed out during the height of
Tropical Storm Seniang on December 29.
The concrete bridge will be up for use in March
2015, according to asst. district engineer Ruel Bantugan.
Meanwhile, affected commuters traveling the
Surigao-Davao Coastal Road (SDCR) on either side of the river are prompted to
transfer from one vehicle to another.
However, part of the sure “travel ritual” is to
climb up or down a temporary ladder in order to cross the other bank of the
river depending on which side one has disembarked.
But for commuters who want to avoid altogether the
inconvenience, except for a much longer travel time, Calderon has suggested to
go on north via Surigao del Norte. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA-Surigao del
Sur)
Dinagat Islands Fire Office highest in fire code
collection
By Ma. Jane A. Mayola
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Jan. 6 (PIA) - The
office of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Province of Dinagat Islands was
recently recognized as the highest in Fire Code Collection (provincial
category) for Outstanding Supervision during the Fire Service Recognition Day
held at Simtoco Bussiness Center, Burgos Street, Surigao City.
The award was received by Dinagat Islands-BFP Fire
Inspector Ellafil Libarnes duly signed by BFP Caraga regional director Fire
Senior Superintendent Mario Socorro Timonera.
Meanwhile, at the same event, the award dubbed as
"Medalya ng Pagtulong sa Nasalanta" was also awarded to the rescue
and retrieval team of Dinagat Islands composed of fire officers FO3 Arnel
Cabusas, FO3 Johny Castro, FO3 Omboy, and FO1 Junril Goring for showing their
exemplary behavior during typhoon Yolanda. (SDR/PIO-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat
Islands)
2 water treatment equipment from MMDA arrive in
Butuan
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 6 (PIA) - Two mobile water
purifiers from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) arrived from
Manila on board a C-130 plane, 8:15 a.m., Tuesday to help ease the water crisis
experienced by the city at the height of TS “Seniang” fury and even up to this
time.
The arrival of the water treatment equipment and
the MMDA team who may man and operate the mobile water purifying facilities was
met at the Bancasi Airport by the local government officials headed by city
councilor Ryan Anthony B. Culima, the chair of the Committee on Utilities of
the city council.
Culima on his privilege speech before the SP
session on Tuesday mentioned that the mobile water purifying facilities were
sent by MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino in response to the request of Butuan
City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. as among the efforts of the local
government to help address the scarcity of potable water experienced here in
the city at the height of TS “Seniang.”
Until this time, the local water utility here is
still on the process of repair and rehabilitation of its water filtration system
at Iyao, Brgy. Taguibo, which was damaged by the recent typhoon.
According to Councilor Culima, each equipment is
capable of purifying 3,000 liters (or 3
cubic meters) of water per hour. Both equipment can purify 6,000 liters of
water per hour, Culima said. He also said that the mobile water purifiers will
be placed at the evacuation center where most of the evacuees were housed. The
purified waters will not be only consumed by the evacuees but will also be
transported to the villages where scarcity of water is experienced. This will
reinforce the Butuan City Water District scheduled supply of water by areas,
the operation of its pumping stations and the transporting of potable waters to
water-needy areas.
Presently, both mobile water purifying facilities
are at the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) ports purifying waters from Agusan
River.
Culima said the city government have availed two
water tankers, one from ADFIL, two from the Bureau of Fire Protection and three
from Equiparco to transport purified, potable waters to the areas needing
waters. (PNA/PIA-Caraga)
