FOOD PACKS. Volunteers repack relief goods intended for Talibon and Bien Unido towns in Bohol province in this undated photo. The Provincial Capitol on Monday (Dec. 27, 2021) reported that the province has tallied at least 108 individuals who died due to the onslaught of Typhoon Odette on December 16. (Photo courtesy of Gov. Art Yap)
CEBU CITY – Reported death toll due to Typhoon Odette in 29 towns of Bohol province has climbed to 108, according to the Provincial Capitol’s monitoring report as of Monday.
This, as residents in several towns struck by ‘Odette’ on December 16 received their family food packs from the provincial government, national agencies, and a non-government organization.
The report, verified by the Department of Health and local government units, said the towns of Talibon and Ubay tallied 14 deaths each, followed by Loon and Bien Unido with seven fatalities each.
The province also registered a total of 12 individuals who are still left unaccounted for and 1,946 residents reported to have been injured during the onslaught of the typhoon.
There were at least 61,997 individuals comprising 26,590 families who were evacuated due to the typhoon.
Governor Arthur Yap, in a presser, said the Provincial Capitol has already delivered a total of 46,500 food packs to different towns in the province.
In addition, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bohol also gave out 21,000 family food packs, along with the 5,000 relief packs from the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.
Yap said these food packs were distributed to 14 towns of the second district, including island barangays of the coastal municipalities.
“So in the week to come at least before December 31, we will be distributing (food packs) to Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon , Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Panglao, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc, and Katigbian. Also in the 3rd District towns of Alicia, Anda, Bilar, Carmen, Dimiao, Garcia Hernandez Guindulman, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Pilar and Sevilla,” Yap said.
He, however, told the municipal mayors to exercise their powers in utilizing their disaster funds so that they can procure food and water for distribution to their constituents, apart from the help that they get from the capitol.
“But I remind all municipal government that you are the first responders. This is just the support of the provincial government to you, in the same way that the national government is supporting the provincial government of Bohol, which are supporting our local government units as first responders,” he said.
Meanwhile, Yap said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), Bohol Electric Cooperative 1 and 2, and Bohol Light Corp. will be servicing electricity covering 33 to 50 percent of their coverage areas by December 31.
This was resolved during his meeting with Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and the managers of the power producers.
The governor also said he requested the NGCP to station two barges with a capacity of 25-megawatts each to energize certain commercial establishments, industries, and houses in Bohol.
He said the target is to increase the balance of restored power capacity for the province by January 31 next year. (PNA)
