THE province of Apayao is on red alert as heavy rains continue to batter the province.
As of November 8, 2019, 617 families or 2,182 individuals have been given assistance by the Department of Social Welfare and Development - Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD-CAR).
Governor Eleanor Bulut-Begtang said in the past days, the province experienced extreme flooding particularly at the low lying towns of Luna, Pudtol, Santa Marcela and Flora while landslide and rock fall incidents occurred in the upper towns of Calanasan, Kabugao and Conner.
Begtang said most of the farmlands in the lower towns were submerged in flood waters and incidents of flashfloods were also recorded causing people to evacuate to safer grounds. The floods also caused some of the roads to be unpassable including the Apayao-Cagayan Road Boundary of Luna, Apayao and Abulug, Cagayan.
Major road networks in the province are still closed due to series of landslides and rock fall incidents including the Claveria-Calanasan-Kabugao Road, Apayao (Calanasan) – Ilocos Norte (Solsona) Road and the Kabugao-Pudtol-Luna-Cagayan Boundary Road. Heavy equipment and personnel of the DPWH - District Engineering Offices in the lower and upper Apayao with the local government units and the private contractors have been conducting clearing operations to at least punch through the major roads for the delivery of relief goods to affected areas.
At least 424 families composed of more than 1,000 individuals affected by either landslides or flooding have been evacuated to the different evacuation centers and other facilities in the province.
The governor also confirmed that Board Member Tolentino Mangalao and Police Corporal Rommel Gumidam died in a landslide incident in Dibagat, Kabugao. The victims were on their way to Calanasan to attend a barangay assembly but because of the bad weather, opted to take shelter at a house along the road for the night. Unfortunately, the incident occurred.
Since November 6, classes in all levels and work have been suspended in the entire province to ensure safety of the employees and the students.
The Apayao Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office has been actively coordinating and working with the local DRRM councils and other government agencies and private sectors to ensure immediate response and actions.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is also waiting for the validated reports from the PDRRMO to declare the province in a state of calamity to be able to access funds for the immediate restoration and rehabilitation of damages in the province.
On Thursday, the Sangguniang Bayan of Calanasan in their special session passed Resolution No. 97 declaring the municipality in a state of calamity due to the effects of the continuous heavy rains.
Meanwhile, DSWD reported Flora town had the most families affected with 210 families composed of 724 individuals, followed by Sta. Marcela with 176 families composed of 642 individuals, Luna with 106 families composed of 338 individuals, Pudtol with 60 families with 237 individuals, Kabugao with 49 families composed of 175 individuals and Conner with 16 families composed of 66 individuals.
A total of 700 food packs were already provided by the DSWD with 300 were allocated to Sta. Marcela, 200 to Flora, 100 each for Luna and Pudtol. 155 boxes of ready to eat food and 300 sleeping kits were also provided.
The assistance provided were family food packs, ready to eat food and sleeping kits amounting to around P221,662.50.
Meanwhile the local government unit (LGU) of Apayao has also provided assistance amounting to P521,572.
“Through our Social Welfare and Development Office in Apayao, we are closely working with our LGU counterparts to ensure that we are able to provide the necessary augmentation to serve the affected families. We will continue to do so until the necessary,” DSWD-CAR acting regional director Leo Quintilla said.
A total of 944 families composed of 3,515 individuals have been affected and are being monitored by the DSWD and the LGUs. (PIA Cordillera with DSWD-CAR)