The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has announced that the death toll for the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last Oct. 15 has now climbed to 213, with infrastructure damage estimated to be breaching the P5.4 billion mark and still counting. The NDRRMC said the latest fatalities were from Bohol, which accounted for 201 of those killed by the quake. At least 13 more fatalities were from Cebu while one was from Siquijor. The number of injured also rose to 742, including 648 in Bohol, 89 in Cebu, three in Siquijor, and one each in Iloilo and Negros Oriental.

P2.3 BILLION FOR BOHOL

Meanwhile, Malacanang made another assurance yesterday that the Aquino government has enough resources to fund relief and reconstruction efforts in Bohol. “We would like to assure ang mga kababayan natin sa Bohol na meron tayong namo-mobilize na mga pondo para mas makatulong sa pagbangon ulit ng Bohol,” Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview. “So huwag tayong mag-alala, meron naman tayong sapat na pondo para doon sa pagtulong sa kanila, sa mga komunidad na tinamaan ng kalamidad sa Bohol.” Valte reported that according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the government has approximately P2.3 billion in Quick Response fund under the different implementing agencies.

Quick Response Funds are standby allocations that are part of the budget that enables the government to provide quick assistance to areas struck by disasters. The P2.3 billion Quick Response Fund allocation is as follows: Office of Civil Defense, P554 million; Department of National Defense, P326 million; Department of Education P455 million; Department of Agriculture, P196 million; and Department of Social Welfare and Development, P200 million. The Quick Response Fund of the Department of Public Works and Highways, including its continuing appropriations is P600 million, according to Valte. The DPWH has a huge task of repairing damaged bridges, roads and others infrastructures in Bohol following the October 15 earthquake that hit the province.

DAMAGE STATS

As of Oct. 25, listed as damaged bridges in Bohol are the following: 1. Dimiao (Slightly Damaged - Tangohay Bridge); 2. Loay - Caved in/Passable to Light vehicles only (Oligario, Palo, & Hinawanan Bridge) 3. Calape (Passable to Light Vehicles only - Tultogan & Desamparados Bridges); 4. Cortes ( Totally Damaged/Submerged - Camaya-an and Abatan Bridge); 5. Getafe (Partly Damaged - Salog Bridge); 6. Loon (Collapsed -Mualong Bridge); 7. Buenavista (Submerged - Asinan Bridge & Hunan Bridge- Partly Damaged - Cangawa Bridge); 8. Dauis (Partly Damaged - Jacinto-Borja and Ambassador Suarez Bridge); 9. San Isidro (Totally Damaged - Sampilangon Bridge, Brgy Caimbang); 10. Alburquerque ( Damaged - Tagbuane Bridge); 11. Sevilla (Passable to MC only - Lagtangan Bridge); and 12. Danao (Partly Damaged - Cantiwas Bridge).

Recorded as either totally or partially damaged churches are in the towns of Antequera, Baclayon, Bilar, Calape, Carmen, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Danao, Dauis, Dimiao, Inabanga, Lila, Loay, Loon, Loboc, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sagbayan, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City, Talibon, Trinidad, and Tubigon.

Landslides had occurred in the following areas: 1. Alicia (Sudlon, Del Monte); 2. Antequera (Can-omay, Viga and Ubujan); 3. Balilihan (Dorol); 4. Bilar (Cabacnitan and Bonifacio); 5. Calape (Sitio Bulokbulok, Binugawan, Brgy Camias and Cabudburan); 6. Clarin (Buangan, Caboy, Tontonan and Danahaw); 7. Corella (Cancatac); 8. Cortes (Liloan National Highway); 9. Danao (Dagohoy Hills and Magtangtang); 10. Dimiao (Gunido); 11. Lila (Banban – Poblacion); 12. Loboc (Candasag); and 13. Loon (Biasong).

Updated non-passable roads are in the following places: 1. Albur – Loay; 2. Antequera - Brgy. Can-omay - Brgy. Bungahan; 3. Balilihan – Antequera; 4. Buenavista – Getafe; 5. Caboy, Clarin; 6. Catigbian - San Isidro (Brgy. Caimbang); 7. Loon – Calape; 8. Tagbilaran - Antequera - San Isidro; and 9. Tagbilaran – Maribojoc.

Destroyed town halls are recorded in Tagbilaran City, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Buenavista, Carmen, Cortes, Danao, Dauis, Loon, Maribojoc, Sagbayan (totally damaged), San Isidro (totally damaged), Trinidad and Tubigon.

Slightly or severely destroyed police stations were noted in the towns of Alicia, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Buenavista, Calape, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Danao, Getafe, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Pilar, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sikatuna, Trinidad, Tubigon, and Ubay.

Schools that sustained huge damage are 1. Antequera (Bitaugan Primary School, Obujan Tagubaas Elem. School, Sto. Rosario Elem. School, Tupas Elem. School, Viga Primary School and Villa Aurora Primary School ; 2. Corella (Canapnapan Elem Sch, Canangcaan Elem Sch, Pob. , Corella HS); 3. Cortes (Monserat Elem School); 4. Lila (Holy Rosary Academy); 5. Loon (Sacred Heart Academy); 6. Maribojoc (Saint Vincent Institute High School); and 7. Sagbayan (Central Elementary School).

Public markets in Antequera, Calape, Danao, Loon, Sagbayan, and San Isidro were also wrecked by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest ever that hit in the Philippines.

Totally damaged hospital is Loon’s Cong. Natalio Castillo Memorial Hospital.

Record of number of deaths according to towns is confirmed in Albur (2); Antequera (15); Baclayon (1); Balilihan (6); Batuan (1); Bilar (4); Buenavista (2); Calape (8); Catigbian (6); clarin (6); Cortes (7); Danao (2); Getafe (1); Inabanga (8); Loay (2); Loon (65); Maribojoc (16); Pilar (2); Sagbayan (12); San Isidro (8); Sevilla (4); Sierra Bullones (1); Tagbilaran City (7); Talibon (1); Trinidad (1); and Tubigon (10).

Names of fatalities will be released as soon as all rescue operations to retrieve dead bodies are halted. (Philippine News Agency with reporting by MIKE ORTEGA LIGALIG)

P20B for Bohol rehab available: Pres. Noy

Pres. Benigno S. Aquino would not want the quake-devastated Boholanos to worry about because there is P20 billion in savings that can be used for Bohol rehabilitation and the needs of other quake-hit areas in Visayas.

He on Wednesday returned to Bohol and stayed overnight in Loon, which agonies include the total lose of heritage church and most number of deaths, exactly a week from his first visit a day right after the October 15 morning 7.2 magnitude earth wrath.

Gov. Edgar Chatto earlier pooled the support of Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim and the three congressmen proposed in a joint letter to the president, Senate and Lower House funding for the rehabilitation and recovery of Bohol.

With tourism its forceful economic driver, Bohol is “at least fortunate” having Panglao island spared from the disastrous quake.

As Panglao island in its usual business, a group of some 50 Chinese tourists arrived in Bohol yesterday in addition to an earlier group who just disembarked from the plane at the Tagbilaran City airport Thursday afternoon while Aquino was about to fly back to Manila.

The president reaffirmed his commitment to quake-torn Bohol, which death toll has risen to 201 persons, with Loon topping the gory account at 66, while 640 have been injured and nine (8) missing. It is believed that more are missing but unreported.

The running total estimated damage/loss to infrastructure, government/public and private buildings and facilities, and churches climbed to P5.462 billion as of October 24 afternoon, according to the consolidated data of the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC).

The total is mainly broken down into the following: infrastructure (mainly roads, bridges, ports), P2.283 billion; provincial, city, municipal buildings and similar government facilities, 570.21 million; hospitals, RHUs and similar social service facilities, P845 million; private establishments, notably churches, P1.448 million.

The estimated damages to churches have only been based on the cost to rebuild and/or repair, not including the cultural and aesthetic values since these are priceless and irreplaceable, according to the multi-office interim secretariat consolidating the data.

Data also shows 51,248 houses and residences damaged either totally or partially. The destruction is indicated only in the number---not cost---of houses damaged as its is yet hard to evaluate the extent of damage per residence.

In the presence of the governor and other Bohol officials, the president said in the briefing at the Loon town hall Wednesday night that “there is P20 billion in savings presently that can be tapped to address Bohol needs.”

In the same meeting, Aquino hinted of the Senate “passing a resolution urging us to allocate P7.5 billion to augment the current contingency fund from savings.”

The Senate adopted Resolution No. 14 authorizing the president to augment the calamity fund for the disaster victims in Bohol and other parts of the country using his discretionary power over the savings.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday night passed a resolution for the president to spend the savings or unused funds in the current budget for aids to Bohol, other quake-hit areas in Central Visayas like parts of Cebu as well as war-ruined Zamboanga City and storm-castigated central Luzon.

“Wala tayong issue as far as funding is concerned,” the president declared in the Loon briefing which was also attended by Secs. Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Rogelio Singson of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Dinky Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Energy (DOE) Carlos Jericho Petilla and Sec. Voltaire Gazmin of the Department of National Defense (DND) who is the executive director of the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), among others.

In fact, “nothing has been stopped by lack of funding,” Aquino said, referring to the on-going emergency and post-calamity relief and rehabilitation operations.

First District Rep. Rene Relampagos and Third District Rep. Arthur Yap delivered privilege speeches at the House as they called, along with Second District Rep. Aris Aumentado, for the creation of a commission on the rehabilitation of Bohol and other Central Visayas areas hit by the destructive quake.

Considering the huge devastation, the full rebuilding of Bohol which was hardest hit and recovery of its thousands of worst-affected families could take a period.

As proposed, the commission requires P15 billion to be spread in five years but the fund can be augmented and the period extended as in the case of the Mt. Pinatubo rehabilitation body that started with P10 billion and ended up with a far bigger expenditure in six or eight years, Yap said.

He said the House just approved the 2014 national annual budget so the Senate can insert a rehabilitation amount as a special item.

Yap said he was asked by the governor to lobby with “Bohol’s friends” in the Senate and their responses were “positive.”

Apart from an allocation in next year’s budget, Relampagos, himself known to be close to the Senate leadership, would want the unused pork barrel of the senators in the current budget aided to Bohol and other calamity-struck places.

THE PEOPLE, FIRST OF ALL

Aquino said “getting the people who can go back to home is urgent priority” as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has already assured of no imminent danger of gravity of the October 15 jolt while aftershocks are diminishing. Proving that Bohol is “safe” and showing solidarity with the Boholanos in crisis, the president slept on a folding bed inside a military tent in an open area in Lintuan, Loon. A moderate aftershock shook the place at midnight. The institute recorded over 2,500 aftershocks, 64 of them being felt, according to the NDRRMC Wednesday. The NDRRMC reported that the quake affected 597,598 families or 2,991,143 people in 1,319 villages in 54 towns and six cities in Bohol and five other provinces. In Bohol, 2,769 families or 9,991 individuals are staying in 35 evacuation centers.

While both foreign and domestic relief aids yet seem unending, the government has identified thru its proper agencies various interventions, including shelter and livelihood supports, especially for the homeless and severely economically dislocated to rebuild their lives. In the Loon meeting, the president told his cabinet men and the governor, “You tell me what are needed and we will find necessary resources, funding or facilities, whatever they are.” Aquino congratulated everybody for the “level of performance to manage the problem in emergency and post-emergency operations.” Chatto himself has been sleepless since day one of the disaster in making ground and air rounds to assess the unbelievable extent of the island’s broken surface and collapse of many natural and human creations that once stood on it. He has held daily coordination meetings with all concerned agencies, especially the social welfare, health, public works and education sectors, and regular media briefings on all aspects of emergency response and post-disaster management.

Close aides said the governor has been working hardest with an endurance of spirit equal to the anger of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the most destructive to hit Bohol and fifth worst in the country in recorded history. But there were times that the leader of the province got worried by certain wrong, false information peddled or inaccurate reports fed that seemed to negate the concerted relief and rehabilitation efforts. One such untrue information spread indicated that Bohol no longer needs volunteer medical and health professional groups or missions since on the contrary, according to the governor, “the more they come, the more they are welcomed and gratified.”

RELIEF, REHAB WORKS GO ON

Aquino would want the relief activities “done to a maximum level” while urgent rehabilitation works continue, foremostly on strategically important collapsed or partly destroyed bridges that need temporary replacement or repair. The bridges include the fallen Abatan structure connecting Cortes-Maribojoc, Moalong bridge in Loon and Desamparados bridge in Calape, all along the national highway leading to Tagbilaran City and, to the other side, the port town of Tubigon which was also damaged. The DPWH said the cliffs in both sides of a section of the Antequera-San Isidro road will be blasted because of big rocks which were moved during the quake and could fall anytime.

It is constructing 45 bunkhouses in Tubigon and additional units in Loon. Impassable roads to remote areas have hampered the re-energization operation of Bohol Electric Cooperative (BOHECO) while the Department of Energy (DOE) would want all households, except those destroyed, to have electricity by October 30. On relief operation, the DSWD said already 35 towns have been served relief goods in coordination with the province while 13 other towns declined the aids as they have not been much affected. Towns like Anda, Duero, Valencia and Ubay instead gave aids. Goods repacking take double-time for relief supplies in next two weeks, although the families in evacuation centers are to be prioritized starting November 1 and onward after validation is done by October’s end, the DSWD said. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held diskuwento caravan of common essential merchandises and basic commodities in Loon Thursday and do the same in Antequera today, Maribojoc on Tuesday, and Sagbayan and San Isidro after November 2.

Also for Maribojoc, the DTI said a gas station is arranging with the LGU on putting up a mobile tanker with generator set in response to the fuel needs in the town, which has been isolated from Tagbilaran City via Cortes when Abatan bridge fell to the river bed. The Department of Health (DOH) said all patients who are confined for quake-related cases at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital but not yet covered by Philhealth will automatically get benefits. For patients who need implants, the surgeons determine their cases and then the DOH pays the expenses. The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has kept monitoring and facilitating the needs of hospitals, LGUs and evacuation centers as it coordinated with donor agencies, including foreign-based like the World Health Organization (WHO), UNFPA and United States Assistance for International Development (USAID).

USAID Country Director Gloria Steele and the Visayas Health Project on Friday turned over to the governor, as head of the PDRRMC, thousands of hygiene kits The Department of Education (DepEd) said the resumption of classes in all levels in Bohol on November 5 needs many demountable classrooms while damaged school buildings are repaired. Many can no longer be restored. Damages to public schools have been estimated at over P311 million. Koreans are donating collapsible classrooms for as long as enough spaces are available. An “adopt a schools district” program has been proposed while the GMA Kapuso Foundation offerd to rehabilitate the central elementary school of Sagbayan, a town so widely and gravely devastated, and that of Baclayon. Meantime, DepEd people and teachers have undergone psychological debriefing.

THE WORLD KEEPS BLEEDING FOR BOHOL

One more foreign government, Australia, is donating P124 million for relief and rehabilitation efforts, according to a report. The country has been partnering with Bohol on development and capability programs thru the AusAID. From Germany, human development foundation Karl Kubel Stiftung sympathized with Bohol as it recounted in its sobbing message to the governor the Boholano hospitality and kindness during its project visit in Carmen last February. In Saudi Arabia, funds are raised by the members of the Boholano Overseas Workers and Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BOWACMPC) to assist in the rehabilitation or restoration of toppled heritage churches, according to coop chairman emeritus Dong Bonite to the governor. (Ven rebo Arigo)