President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday visited two towns in Negros Occidental, which were among the worst hit by Typhoon “Tino”, to assure residents and local officials that the national government will assist them in their recovery.
The P95 million from the Office of the President for the recovery efforts of Negros Occidental has already been downloaded to the provincial government and six local governments, officials said on Saturday.
Downloaded was P50 million for the province of Negros Occidental, P10 million each for the municipalities of La Carlota City, La Castellana, and Moises Padilla, and P5 million each for Binalbagan, Isabela, and Hinigaran.
The governor said the president’s visit is “encouraging and reassuring that the national government is aware of the situation not only here in Negros but all over the country.”
“His (Marcos) presence here, and three Cabinet secretaries who came over earlier, shows you that the concern is there and that they are doing everything to be able to fund the recovery in Negros Occidental,” Lacson said.
In Moises Padilla, the president inspected the Jose Pepito Montilla Garcia Sr. National High School where several classrooms were submerged by floods and Barangay Poblacion 1 to meet affected residents and assess damaged houses.
He then visited evacuees at La Castellana Elementary School.
Following the site inspections, the President conducted a situation briefing in La Castellana with local officials led by Lacson, which was attended by Cabinet members from the Department of Energy, the Department of Education, the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
The governor informed the president that Typhoon “Tino” brought life-threatening and devastating damage to Negros Occidental.
The typhoon affected 233,437 families with 806,665 members, and destroyed 13,036 houses and damaged 105,936, the president was informed.
Damage to agriculture, fisheries, livestock, infrastructure, and schools in Negros Occidental was placed at P1.85 billion, Lacson’s report said.
The president assured, especially the victims, that the national government will continuously help them in their present situation, Lacson said.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development also assured that they have modular houses that Negros Occidental can tap for residents relocated from the Mt. Kanlaon permanent danger zone since the province already has a lot in La Castellana, which can serve up to 150 families, Lacson said.
There are also some typhoon victims in La Castellana whose houses were destroyed who cannot return to their areas as they will be declared as no-build zones, he said.
The national officials took note of the roads and bridges that were destroyed that will be considered for funding, but it was made clear that this will take time, Lacson said.
The president was also informed that Moises Padilla and La Castellana suffered the most casualties in Negros Occidental.
Moises Padilla has 14 casualties and one Mr. X who remains unidentified, and 18 residents are still missing, Mayor Ella Garcia Yulo said.
La Castellana has 12 casualties and 14 persons still missing, Mayor Añejo Nicor said.
The death toll from Typhoon “Tino” hit 101 with 54 missing in Negros Island, the Office of Civil Defense reported on Friday, Nov. 14.*