Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia Yulo appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for national assistance to fund critical infrastructure and housing relief following the devastating impact of Typhoon “Tino”.
Marcos on Saturday visited the Jose Pepito Montilla Garcia Sr. National High School in Barangay 1, Moises Padilla town where several classrooms were submerged by floods after “Tino” struck on Nov. 4.
Marcos also went to Barangay Poblacion 1 in Moises Padilla to meet affected residents and assess damaged houses.
Garcia-Yulo has sent multiple letters, delivered through Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco , outlining the community’s urgent needs, which impact on the safety and livelihood of over 17,591 residents.
The mayor’s most urgent request concerns the rebuilding of several hanging bridges and spillways destroyed by Typhoon “Tino”.
The community is in a “desperate situation” due to the hazardous lack of safe passage across the Binalbagan River, the mayor said.
The damaged structures that require urgent assistance include:
*A hanging bridge and spillway connecting Barangay 1 and Barangay Inolingan, which also serves nearby barangays such as Quintin Remo;
*Hanging bridge located in Sitio Lemoncito, Barangay Inolingan;
*Hanging bridge connecting barangays Guinpana-an and Quintin Remo;
*Hanging bridge and spillway located in Sitio Kabayabasan, Barangay Montilla; and
*Hanging bridge and spillway connecting Barangay Montilla and Barangay Macagahay.
The absence of these links disrupts the education of children, hinders economic activity, and delays access to emergency healthcare, the mayor said.
HOUSING FUND
The municipality is also struggling to provide shelter for families whose homes were destroyed by Typhoon “Tino”, she said.
Garcia-Yulo is seeking the realignment of an unexpended balance of P2,981,340.00 from the FY 2021 Contingent Fund.
This fund was originally intended for housing materials following Typhoon Odette but is now urgently needed for Financial Housing Assistance for the victims of Typhoon “Tino”.
To ensure long-term resilience, the Mayor has put forth a request for major infrastructure and a relocation site, with an estimated total cost of over P800 million for the following critical projects:
*Bridge connecting Barangay 1 and Barangay Inolingan, proposed to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), amounting to P250,000,000;
*Barangay Odiong Bridge located in Sitio Pucatod, Barangay Odiong, with an requested amount of P10,000,000;
*Bridge connecting Barangay Montilla and Barangay Macagahay, proposed as a new construction project to replace a spillway washed out by Typhoon Tino, amounting to P250,000,000; and
*Relocation site located in Barangay Inolingan, which includes site development and housing units, amounting to P300,000,000;
The mayor said that constructing permanent concrete bridges would “greatly alleviate this risk” by providing a safe crossing point, enhancing connectivity, and improving the transport of farm produce to markets.
These projects are aligned with the administration’s “Build, Better, More” infrastructure program, she said.*