POST-DISASTER ASSESSMENT. Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia (left) on his way to inspect the extent of the flood damage that ravaged Gingoog City and parts of the province on Tuesday (Dec. 27, 2022). Initial data from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Northern Mindanao pegs damage to infrastructure in Gingoog City at PHP20 million, while 76 villages across the province were affected. (Courtesy of Gov. Unabia Facebook)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –- At least PHP20 million worth of infrastructure were damaged while 76 villages were affected by the recent flooding that hit Misamis Oriental province, an official said Friday.
In an interview, provincial administrator John Venice Ladaga an initial onsite damage assessment and analysis is ongoing to prioritize rehabilitation efforts in flood-hit areas affected by the shear line, where hot and cold winds converge and bring rains.
“Governor Peter Unabia, with the provincial engineering and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), has inspected the affected areas and ensured that rehabilitation and recovery efforts are to be undertaken with haste after the assessment,” Ladaga said.
He said Gingoog City was hit the hardest by the flood and has sustained heavy damage to infrastructure.
A report by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Northern Mindanao (RDRRMC-10) showed that damage to irrigation canals and machinery in Gingoog City were initially pegged at PHP20 million.
The neighboring municipalities of Balingasag, Medina, Salay, and Balingoan were also severely affected by the Dec. 24 and 25 flooding, the report added.
The RDRRMC-10 also indicated that 12,374 families or 57,781 individuals in the 76 affected villages were displaced by the floods.
The DPWH is expected to submit its full report on the province-wide damage to infrastructure and agriculture, including houses, on Dec. 31.
Ladaga said the governor has instructed the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) to continue distributing assistance to the flood-affected residents.
To date, the provincial government has delivered more than 26,000 food packs to evacuation centers.
MMDA sends relief team
Also on Friday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deployed a 16-person contingent to provide assistance to Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental.
In a statement, MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana said the team, composed of personnel from the Public Safety Division and Road Emergency Group, will set up water filtration systems in communities with limited or no supply of clean and potable water.
“The team brought with them 20 units of water purifier systems which have the capacity of filtering 180 gallons of water per hour,” Lipana said.
They will coordinate with the provincial DRRMC upon arrival at the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental and stay in the area for eight days.
The MMDA sends teams to provinces hit by typhoons, earthquakes and other natural calamities. (PNA)
