THE province of Northern Samar is now placed under state of calamity following the devastation from Typhoon Ambo (Vongfong) on May 14.
Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) report from the province said the typhoon caused P274.4 million damage across all sectors.
The Provincial Board passed Resolution No. 150 declaring Northern Samar under state of calamity in a special session on May 20 after the endorsement from Governor Edwin Ongchuan.
A total of 83,720 families were reportedly affected or 362,047 individuals, according to the Northern Samar Provincial Information Office (NSPIO).
“Aside from the food packs, 18 beneficiaries of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also received their financial assistance amounting to more or less P 3,000.00 each,” NSPIO said in a statement.
Based on its RDNA report, a total of 5,659 houses were totally damaged and 31,879 houses were partially damaged in Northern Samar as reported by 19 out of 24 towns in the province.
The towns are Allen, Biri, Bobon, Capul, Catarman, Catubig, Gamay, Laoang, Lapinig, Lope de Vega, Las Navas, Mondragon, Palapag, Rosario, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Jose, San Roque, and Victoria.
Rei Josiah Echano, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer (PDRRMO), said damage to agriculture include rice and corn, P8,087,411; crops, P26,115,474; coconut, P65,837; fishery, P25,700,000; and livestock, P8,116,010.
Partial damage to infrastructure submitted by 12 out of 24 Municipal Engineering Offices reached P127,214,410, according to the Philippine Information Office (PIA)-Northern Samar.
Meanwhile, NSPIO said the province continued to receive food packs from the national government through DSWD.
On May 22, Friday, a total of 1,500 family food packs were turned over by DSWD to the province. (SunStar Philippines)