DAVAO CITY and MANILA—The situation of Filipinos affected by Typhoon Odette has become top of mind among their compatriots from government to nongovernment institutions.
Government agencies are jointly mounting post disaster response operations while at the same time undertaking rescue and relief efforts in the provinces ravaged by Typhoon Odette, which has killed at least 26 people as of Sunday’s report.
The 26 fatalities were reported by the Philippine National Police by way of a consolidated report by its command center, which was released by PNP spokesman Col. Roderick Augustus Balba. The figure was higher than the officially-validated four by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The NDRRMC, however, acknowledged of having culled 27 reported deaths but the cases have to go through the official validation of its clusters.
The NDRRMC reported that a total of 309,814 displaced persons, representing 81,595 families, were staying in 2,283 evacuation centers.
According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), more than 130,000 families or some 400,000 individuals from Regions V, VI, VIII, X, XI, Mimaropa and Caraga were affected by Typhoon Odette.
Communication difficulties
THE number of fatalities, which the PNP said came from areas under the areas of Police Regional Office (PRO) 6, 7, 10 and 13, rose as local officials reported varying number of deaths while appealing for help from the national government.
Bohol Governor Arthur C. Yap, for one, has claimed that Odette, which has veered out of the country on Sunday, has killed 40 people in his province. Other officials of typhoon-affected towns and provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao also issued death counts, but the NDRRMC said all of the figures have to be officially validated.
The PNP said at least 24, 312 families or 100,353 individuals were evacuated in areas under the PRO 4B, 6, 7, 8 and 10 alone, which is higher than its previous data as reports from police offices in affected areas are coming in trickles due to difficulty in communications.
The PNP reported that at least 46 areas under the PRO 6, 7, 12 and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR) are still flooded while 3,077 areas under the PRO 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 were still without power supply.
Mobile phone signal in at least 704 areas under the PRO 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and BAR are also still out.
PNP assets
BALBA said PNP chief General Dionardo B. Carlos has ordered PNP troops on the ground to continuously provide manpower and logistical support to affected local government units, especially those who have been declared under the state of calamity.
“Our personnel will focus efforts in securing the evacuation centers, road clearing operations and assisting in relief operations. We have to secure the peace and order situation in these areas and at the same time oversee the implementation of health protocols,” Balba quoted Carlos as saying.
The resources of the PNP, which include search, rescue and retrieval equipment and land, air and water assets have been deployed in the affected areas, according to the PNP official.
Balba said since power supply has not been restored in some areas, PNP personnel will ensure that there will be no looting of establishments.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been using its assets in rescue and relief operations in Dinagat Islands, Siargao Island and Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur in Mindanao as well as in Central Visayas and Eastern Visayas.
The PCG, in coordination with various shipping companies, also conducted an emergency meeting on Saturday, 18 December 2021, on the recovery of vessels that ran aground or were sunk at the Cebu City Pier and in Mandaue.
Transportation resources
THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced it has “intensified” its rescue and relief operations in areas affected by Typhoon Odette, while repairing ports and airports that were damaged due to the onslaught of the tropical storm.
“Currently, the DOTr has mobilized its personnel, facilities, assets and resources to answer the call for assistance of our kababayans. Rest assured, we will deliver,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has so far deployed its assets to assist in the rescue and relief operations in the Dinagat Islands, Siargao Island and Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur in Mindanao, as well as in the Central Visayas and in the Eastern Visayas.
Aside from also deployed its Cessna plane to conduct an aerial inspection of Kabangkalan City in Negros Occidental and has deployed its vessels to assist in the delivery of communication and relief packages to affected areas.
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has allowed vessels to sail after Typhoon Odette left the Philippine area of responsibility. The agency also called on domestic shipowners to prioritize the transport of needed relief goods.
Marina Administrator Robert A. Empedrad said he has “directed all Marina regional directors to undertake swift coordination with shipowners whose ships were unaffected by the typhoon to resume their operations and to prioritize in the carriage of relief operations.”
Safety engineers were also ordered to assess the seaworthiness of ships swiftly to ensure their immediate deployment and allow stranded passengers to go to their destinations.
Damaged airports
THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) has started efforts to restore airport operations in areas affected by the typhoon to include interim measures to resume operations without compromising safety, repair of damaged passenger terminal buildings, other infrastructure and installations and to check on the condition of Caap workers who were affected by the typhoon.
Caap Director General Jim C. Sydiongco said among the airports needed repair were those in Siargao, Surigao, Maasin and Mactan.
Sydiongco said the inspection team will also be delivering needed communication equipment to restore needed coordination at the typhoon-affected airports.
“The heads themselves will be going in order to make immediate and final decisions on actions to be taken. In coordination with the management team, Caap has been exploring sources of fund for the needed repairs, including possible realignment of funds,” Sydiongco said.
‘War zones’
DESCRIBING Cebu and Bohol as akin to “war zones,” a lawmaker on Sunday appealed for humanitarian aid for tens of thousands of Filipinos whose homes and livelihood were “wiped out” by the typhoon.
“You can see destruction everywhere; even concrete houses were destroyed. The entire province of Cebu is like a war zone and the situation in Bohol is even worse. It’s like an atomic bomb was dropped in some areas; where Odette flattened everything. In some areas, entire villages were wiped out like they never existed,” Ang Probinsyano Party-list Rep. Ronnie L. Ong said.
“But what is really heartbreaking is the desperation that we saw in Cebu and Bohol and it will just be a matter of time before people would resort to looting. A lot of people have no food, no water and no roof on their heads. They have no electricity and communication is very difficult. Even banks are closed,” Ong added.
The lawmaker said that it would require the help of the entire world to help the victims in areas devastated by Odette. He said that the government should set up a task force to manage international aid and map out recovery efforts.
Humanitarian aid
ONG has reached Cebu to deliver humanitarian aid after joining the team of presidential aspirant Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao that was said to have airlifted 10 tons of assorted relief goods via Cebu Pacific’s flight 5JA320 Saturday night.
Ong said he and the team conducted a ground and aerial survey to see which areas in Cebu were most affected by the super typhoon.
“I am appealing to all people around the world to please help us. Give anything you can to help our people who were affected by Odette. They need food, water, clothes and materials to rebuild their homes,” he said.
Ong said that Pacquiao “could have easily decided to join us in delivering the first batch of humanitarian aid… but he decided to just work in the background to manage the repacking of relief goods and coordinate the movement and deployment of his people.” Ong said Pacquiao earned his respect.
Help from Davao
FROM Davao City, vice-presidential aspirant and Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio was reported to have led the uploading of 55 tons of food and essential supplies to Cebu City.
The city official also sent off the team of doctors, social workers and disaster rescue personnel to Bohol. In her Facebook account post, Duterte-Carpio said the team was sent as the city’s response to Bohol’s appeal for more personnel to help the province.
“106 Dabawenyos responded to the call of Bohol for augmentation,” she said in her account, posting photographs of the personnel. Duterte-Carpio personally sent off to a waiting commercial flight last Sunday at the Davao International Airport.
“They also brought sacks of rice and water,” the mayor added.
Duterte-Carpio also posted photographs of personnel readying cartons of supplies intended for Cebu province.
She said some of the aid would be delivered by land because the airplane could not take all the cargo.
Cancel fireworks
LAST Sunday, a nongovernment organization called on private companies, local government units and other concerned groups to cancel their planned fireworks shows this Christmas and New year and instead use the money for such extravaganza to help victims of Typhoon Odette that battered the Visayas and Mindanao.
At the same time, the group said politicians running for elective positions next year should set aside funds allotted for their campaign materials to respond to the needs of the survivors.
“As the trail of wanton destruction caused by Typhoon Odette becomes more evident, we are called to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of people left homeless and hungry and in despair,” EcoWaste Coalition Chemical Safety Campaigner Anthony Dizon was quoted in a statement as saying.
“Instead of igniting firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices, which can cause health and environmental effects, why not lend a hand to the calamity survivors who clamor for food, water, electricity and other essentials? Instead of putting up self-serving propaganda tarpaulins, why not engage in low-key, no-frills acts of kindness?,” he asked.
“Post-Odette ‘bayanihan’ will bring a sparkle of hope to families whose lives and dreams were shattered by the pre-Christmas typhoon,” Dizon added.
The reduced consumption of firecrackers and fireworks, as well as tarpaulins, will also contribute to a healthier and safer environment, noting the chemical and waste pollution associated with the production, use and disposal of such items, the group said.
Climate change
GREENPEACE Southeast Asia Executive Director Naderev M. Saño said that even with warnings in place, the intensity and the damage brought about by Odette was unprecedented.
“The disaster brought up our collective trauma from previous typhoons such as Sendong and Yolanda and reminded us that these extreme weather events are now a norm as the climate crisis worsens every year. As we seek immediate recovery for our fellow citizens in the aftermath of Odette, we demand that our institutions see this as another wake-up call and this time, they have to take it seriously,” Saño said. “These typhoons will get worse, more unpredictable and more destructive should they remain merely reactionary to the climate crisis.”