‘Enteng’ death toll hits 16; 17 still missing

LINGERING Although Tropical Storm“Enteng” has already left the country, floodwaters continued to linger in Marikina City on Thursday due to the southwest monsoon. —LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — The death toll due to Tropical Storm Enteng (international name: Yagi) and the southwest monsoon has reached 16, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Friday.

In its latest bulletin, the NDRRMC said eight of the fatalities were in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), three in the Bicol Region, two in Central Visayas, two in Eastern Visayas and one in Western Visayas.

It added that 17 people remained missing and 13 others were injured in various parts of the country.

According to the disaster agency, 2,061,726 people or 538,602 families were affected by Enteng and the southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat,” in Metro Manila, Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Cordillera regions.

The Bicol region had the most number of affected individuals at 1,119,382 while Metro Manila had 236,610.

It said 47,679 individuals have been displaced by the weather disturbances while 5,965 houses were destroyed, with 107 “totally damaged.”

The damage to infrastructure was at P223.6 million, according to the NDRRMC.

In the Bicol region, at least 739 classrooms were either damaged or destroyed by floods and heavy rains due to Enteng, partial reports from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol showed.

Initial reports only

Gremil Alexis Naz, spokesperson for the OCD, told the Inquirer on Friday that they were still expecting more reports from different divisions in the region.

Of the 739, at least 68 classrooms were destroyed, while 671 were damaged, according to the report.

According to the partial report, close to P11 million were requested for the repair of the classrooms and the building of temporary learning spaces (TLS).

Mayflor Jumamil, spokesperson for the Department of Education (DepEd), told the Inquirer that a total of 217 TLS were needed for the provinces of Albay (five), Camarines Sur (182), and Camarines Norte (10) and Naga City (20).

Jumamil said these TLS will be based on DepEd’s defined dimensions, but they are open to donations from local governments and nongovernmental organizations.

“It is very important [that these schools have TLS] because this ensures the learners’ continuity of learning, although there is a policy that if in-person classes are not possible, teaching modalities shift to alternative delivery modes,” Jumamil told the Inquirer.

The farm sector is also reeling from the devastating impact of Enteng, with losses climbing to more than P650 million.

In its latest bulletin, the Department of Agriculture reported that the typhoon’s damage to the sector reached P659.01 million as of Friday morning, rising by about 83 percent from the P360.18 million reported on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands

Enteng affected the livelihood of 27,598 farmers in the regions of Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol, Western and Eastern Visayas.

The volume loss is projected at 28,788 metric tons (MT) covering 22,309 hectares (ha), mostly planted to rice.

The NDRRMC said P92,636,750 worth of assistance to the victims had been provided.

Rice still comprised more than 94 percent of overall losses, pegged at P624.06 million. Enteng wiped out 26,736 MT of produce spanning 20,096 ha.

Other affected crops include corn (P22.75 million), high-value crops (P10.41 million), cassava (P1.77 million) and livestock and poultry (P16,000). —With reports from Nestor Corrales, Jordeene B. Lagare, Rey Anthony Ostria and Kathleen de Villa