|
THE
government will need an initial P8 billion to repair the
damage caused by tropical storm Frank in the more than
10 regions that it has affected, a disaster official
said Sunday.
National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)
executive director Glenn Rabonza said the amount is
needed to bring back at least a “semblance” of life in
the typhoon-battered municipalities and provinces,
especially in Aklan, Iloilo and Antique.
“The very early figure is about P8
billion in damage. This is just a preliminary estimate,”
Rabonza said.
But the NDCC executive director said it
may even be too early to talk about rehabilitation, as
they still have to find the more than 200 people still
missing.
While Frank (international name: Fenshen)
struck a week ago, relief efforts are still ongoing in
the affected provinces, especially in Aklan, Iloilo and
Antique.
Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza
Cabral said her office has already released a total of
P25 million in funds and relief goods to the Visayas
region, of which P10 million was just for Iloilo, where
officials said flooding was at its worst in 50 years.
The current focus, explained Cabral, is
extending assistance to the residents of Aklan, the
province that the typhoon affected the worst.
“The situation in Aklan is much worse
than Iloilo. A new hospital with all of its equipment
was damaged,” she said. Even in the middle of the city,
Cabral said, water was neck-deep or even deeper.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief of staff
Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano and US Ambassador Kristie Kenney
traveled to Iloilo Sunday to see the ongoing relief
works. “I just wanted to come down today, to just have a
look for myself at the great teamwork going on. I
haven’t had the chance to see the American team down
here, both the sailors and the US team on the ground,”
said Kenney.
Besides the US Navy
personnel, eight helicopters from the aircraft carrier
USS Ronald Reagan are helping in the distribution of
relief assistance.
“I’d say [that] we’re very proud to be
here helping, it’s part of the partnership. I’m
delighted the Reagan was near enough that it could
immediately steam over here,” Kenney said.
The US ambassador said she was aware of
the negative reactions generated by the carrier’s
sailing toward the Philippines, but she played down any
possible violation of the Philippine Constitution as
Reagan did not enter RP waters but berthed in
international waters.
Beside, she said “the plan was not for
it to be in Philippine waters, mostly because the Reagan
is so large. It needs a fair amount of depth to even
come in closer.”
Kenney said the carrier was only being
used as a platform for the US helicopters helping in the
distribution of relief goods. |
