Benguet Rep. Eric Yap is calling for help to aid people of Benguet after the province was battered by Typhoon Egay, which causes flash floods and landslides in different areas. This photo shows Benguet’s farmlands, including the famous strawberry field in La Trinidad, submerged by flood waters. (Photo from the Office of Benguet Rep. Eric Yap)
MANILA, Philippines — Benguet Rep. Eric Yap has asked the national government for quick assistance as the province reels from the floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Egay.
Yap in a statement on Wednesday said the province direly needs the national government’s help as many of the residents in the affected-areas are still reeling from past calamities, like the Northwestern Luzon earthquake last July 2022.
Several of the province’s key thoroughfares have been impassable as of now, which Yap said has made relief and rescue operations difficult.
Photo from the Office of Benguet Rep. Eric Yap
“We call to our National Government for assistance, the Benguet Province is in dire need of help. In fact, marami pa rin sa ating kakailyan ang hindi nakakabangon mula sa mga nagdaang unos, dagdag na naman ito. We need forces for intensified operations for disaster rescue and relief,” Yap said.
(In fact, many of the people here have not yet recovered from the previous calamities, and this adds to the list.)
Photo from the Office of Benguet Rep. Eric Yap
“Many of our significant passageways in the province remain impassable as of the moment, obstructing emergency response and impeding the livelihood of hundreds of families in our province. Salamat sa ating LGUs (local government units) at mga residente na sama-samang umaaksyon sa clearing ops,” he added.
(Thanks to our LGUs and residents who acted together during the clearing operations.)
According to Yap, the province received unverified reports that several individuals have either gone missing or died as Egay’s fury brought strong winds and floodwaters to the province.
Egay’s eye did not directly hit Benguet, but its wide circulation meant that the southwest monsoon or habagat significantly increased. Strong winds also caused landslides in the mountainous areas of the province.
“Unofficial reports of casualties and missing individuals and millions of pesos worth of damaged properties – ito ang lagay ngayon sa Benguet (this is the state in Benguet right now). We are still verifying the extent of the damage, but we have unofficial reports from the ground that there are casualties and missing individuals,” Yap said.
“We are actively coordinating with our LGUs to record the families affected so we could extend assistance and to document the roads in need of rehabilitation so we could implement necessary measures,” he added.
On Wednesday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) confirmed that Egay made landfall over Aparri, Cagayan. During that time, Egay packed maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gusts of up to 240 kph.
By noon, Pagasa said Egay made a second landfall over the same town in Cagayan.
READ: Typhoon Egay makes a second landfall in Aparri, Cagayan – Pagasa
READ: Super Typhoon Egay pummels Northern Luzon
Earlier, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that a woman had been reported dead in Cardona town of Rizal province after heavy rainfall from Egay triggered a flash flood.
READ: NDRRMC: Woman reported dead due to Typhoon Egay-induced flash flood in Rizal
Yap asked for prayers for the province while noting that the government has to do something about disaster preparation in the long-term purview.
“Hindi na bago ito, habang tumatagal ay mas lumalala pa nga. Parehong mahalaga ang pagkakaroon ng short-term na immediate relief sa ating kakailyan na apektado at long-term na infrastructure and systemic development. It is imperative that we execute extensive measures (1) for preparation, prevention and mitigation before, (2) for quick emergency response during, and (3) for recovery and reconstruction after the typhoon or any other disaster,” he said.
(This is not new, and over time, it has worsened. Both the short-term, immediate relief for our people affected and the long-term infrastructure and systemic development are important.)
“We ask for your prayers for Benguet and our neighboring provinces affected by Typhoon Egay. Nakikiramay tayo sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. Bukas po ang ating tanggapan para sa inyo. May we find strength in each other to recover from this tragedy. Magkakasama tayo, walang maiiwan,” he added.
(We ask for your prayers for Benguet and our neighboring provinces affected by Typhoon Egay. We are sending our condolences to the families whose relatives died. May we find strength in each other to recover from this tragedy. We would recover toegther, nobody will be left behind.)