Aquino orders fast-tracking of ‘Nona’ rehab in N. Samar

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. AP FILE PHOTO

CATARMAN, Northern Samar—President Aquino on Wednesday ordered government agencies to fast track rehabilitation work in Northern Samar which was devastated by Typhoon “Nona.”

During a briefing with concerned agencies here, the President assured local officials that there were resources available.

“Just follow the procedures, submit your reports so we can download the funds,” said the President.

He said he hoped that by the time he returned to Northern Samar, the situation would have improved.

Mr. Aquino arrived in Catarman airport about 10 a.m. and proceeded to the provincial capital where he presided over the briefing with local government officials and heads of national agencies on the extent of the damage caused by Nona in Samar.

He later led the distribution of relief goods to typhoon victims on the capitol grounds.

At least 60 families from Barangay Dalakit in Catarman received food packs from the President consisting of six kilos of rice, eight canned goods and six sachets of coffee. Each beneficiary also received 10 galvanized iron sheets.

With the President were Secretaries Dinky Soliman of Social Work and Development, Mel Sarmiento of Interior and Local Government, Voltaire Gazmin of National Defense, Jeanette Garin of Health.

Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who is the ruling Liberal Party standard bearer was in the briefing but did not participate in the discussion.

According to Northern Samar Gov. Jose Ong Jr., at least 13 people were killed, 12 went missing and more than 1,095 others were hurt when typhoon Nona unleashed its wrath on Dec. 14.

Ong said damage caused by Nona in the province reached at least P4.5 billion—P2.4 billion worth of infrastructure, P957.8-million worth of coconuts and P2.10 billion in agricultural products.

Many parts of Northern Samar would have to spend Christmas and New Year in the dark since power was expected to be fully restored only by Jan. 15.

As of Wednesday, only some parts of Catarman, Mondragon, San Jose, Bobon, Rosario and Lope de Vega had electricity.

Ong asked the President to help the farmers who lost not only their houses but also their crops.

At least 16 million coconut trees were affected by the storm, according to the Department of Agriculture, which planned to give 70,000 bags of seeds to the farmers.

At least 48 percent of coconut production in Eastern Visayas comes from Northern Samar.

Laoang Mayor Madeline Ong asked that the seeds be delivered to them instead of to get these at San Jose de Buan town in Samar, where the seeds were stored.

Mr. Aquino was dismayed to hear that the supply of seeds had to come from other provinces. “We hope we will have the supply here (Northern Samar),” he said.

Mayor Ong also asked for alternative sources of livelihood for affected farmers because the coconuts in her town were “beyond restoration.”

Soliman, for her part, said all the housing materials would be given before the end of January. She added the Department of Social Welfare and Development would be open during the holidays to help the typhoon victims.

Soliman asked local executives to appeal to the communist rebels to stop the attacks on soldiers who were helping in the relief operations, saying even the relatives of the communist rebels received relief goods.

Soliman referred to two attacks staged by the New People’s Army on Dec. 14 and 22 that killed one solider and wounded for others involved in relief operations in Pinabacdao and Las Navas towns in Northern Samar.