9 Eastern Samar towns now under state of calamity after Typhoon Ambo

TACLOBAN CITY — Nine towns in Eastern Samar have been placed under a state of calamity due to the devastation brought by Typhoon “Ambo.”

The Provincial Board approved on Monday the request of Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone to declare a state of calamity in the towns of Arteche, San Policarpo, Jipapad, Oras, Maslog, Dolores, Can-avid, Taft and Sulat.

Evardone said that based on their initial assessment, damage to infrastructures in these towns reached at least P58 million and P921.69 million, in agriculture.

At least 34,235 families from these nine towns were displaced due to Typhoon Ambo, said the governor.

“We wrote the National Housing Authority for housing materials, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Labor and Employment [to ask] for cash and food-for-work, and Department of Public Works and Highways to the repair of Jipapad Bridge,” Evardone said through Viber.

The declaration would now pave the way for the provincial government to use part of its calamity fund.

Maslog Mayor Rac Santiago said their town needed assistance from both the national and provincial governments.

Santiago said Ambo damaged 1,228 houses and destroyed 28 others.

He also said that based on initial assessment, damage to agriculture reached about P2 million in Maslog, a 5th class municipality with an annual income of not more than P25 million.

“We really need assistance, especially from our national government. A big portion of our calamity fund of P4 million has been used to help our people as part of our assistance during this pandemic of COVID-19,” Santiago said in a phone interview.

“This is really a double blow for our town,” he added, referring to both Ambo and the threat of COVID-19.

Power supply in the town, which is about three hours by sea travel from its nearest town of Dolores, was expected not to be restored soon as 17 utility poles were toppled down due to the strong winds brought by the typhoon.

JPV