Ilocos governor grateful for typhoon aid

Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis Singson: Grateful. congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines–Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis Singson has expressed his full appreciation to all those who extended support to his province which suffered its worse typhoon beating due to Tropical Storm “Mario” last weekend.

Singson, in a press release, specifically lauded Vice President Jejomar Binay and Sen. Cynthia Villar for their prompt response.

Binay donated 5,000 packs of relief goods distributed province-wide while Villar lent a helicopter. Singson and his team airlifted relief goods to Sugpon town and surveyed the sever infrastructure and agriculture losses in the 14 upland towns.

Singson declared Ilocos Sur under state of calamity Sunday. He is appealing to the national government to immediately release the province’s share of tobacco excise tax to be used for the recovery, noting that many of the victims are tobacco growers who are gearing up for the tobacco season slated this October.

Agriculture was worst hit with P187 million in damage followed by infrastructure with P99.6 million, based on partial reports collated by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office. Of the province’s 768 barangays (villages), 471 were struck with 53,102 families affected. There were also 663 houses totally damaged and 7,133 partially damaged.