Cebu to give P5 million to Ilocos Norte

THE Cebu provincial government announced that it will extend financial aid to its sister province, the typhoon Mina-ravaged Ilocos Norte.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said she will fly to Ilocos Norte today to turn over a P5-million check to Gov. Imee Marcos.

A state-run news agency reported that damage caused by typhoon Mina in Ilocos Norte climbed to P312.9 million in lost crops and destroyed roads, bridges and public buildings.

Last April, Marcos visited the Capitol to sign a memorandum of understanding establishing  sisterhood ties between Cebu and Ilocos Norte.

In July, it was Governor Garcia’s turn to sign an agreement during a five-day visit to Ilocos Norte.

Marcos presented the latest damage assessment yesterday afternoon.

The Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council estimated damaged agricultural crops such as rice, corn, high value commercial crops and fisheries at  more than P40.2 million as of Wednesday last week.

Damaged infrastructure included roads, bridges, irrigation facilities and school buildings worth at least  P270.2 million.

The province has been under a state of calamity since Sunday due to widespread flooding and several areas are still submerged due to heavy and continuous rains caused by typhoon Mina.

This is not the first time Cebu province extended assistance to provinces that were struck with calamities.

Last Aug. 13, Governor  Garcia gave a P5-million check to Albay Gov. Joey Salceda.

Albay province lost some P1 billion in agricultural crops, livestock and infrastructure after tropical storm Juaning dumped heavy rains on Bicol triggering floods and landslide in 15 towns and three cities across the province.

Salceda said floods, mudflows, and landslides spawned by Juaning destroyed P951.4 million in  public infrastructures such as roads, bridges, dikes, and irrigation canals.

Damage to agriculture and livestock was estimated at P70.4 million in production losses. It affected 13,339 hectares of rice, corn and vegetables crops and 7,795 farmers across the province.

Juaning left the province with nine dead, one missing and  some 107,934 families or 557,448 people displaced, of which 56,955 families or 295,179 people are now housed in various evacuation camps. /Carmel Loise Matus, Correspondent