Davide Checks on Agaton-Affected Towns; Visits Wake of Storm’s Two Casualties

Cash assistance will be extended by the Provincial Government to the families of the two casualties of Tropical Storm Agaton in Cebu.

The burial assistance of P10,000 per family will be given after the Provincial Board has approved of its release, according to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.

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As initial assistance, Governor Hilario P. Davide III personally handed out last Jan. 3 a sack of rice and other essential food items to the bereaved families of Flora Matas Basadre, 63; and Ritchel Pimentel, 39, both from Malabuyoc town.

Eroded land and mud slid down on Basadre’s house, killing her and leaving the rest of her family unhurt when they were on their way out of their farmhouse at the height of the heavy rains.

Awakened by calls to evacuate, Pimentel died when his head was hit after falling from their rain-soaked stairs.

Davide also checked on other typhoon-affected areas hit by floods and landslides in the second and seventh districts in south Cebu and the third district in the southwestern portion of the province.

He was accompanied by PB member Jerome Librando and former Samboan mayor Raymond Calderon.

Davide’s first stop was in Boljoon town. On behalf of Mayor Merlou Derama who was in Bacolod City on official business, Vice Mayor Ervin Villanueva, councilors Marvin Ian Nierre and Proculogenus Navarro showed the governor the extent of the flood’s damage when the Lusapon River overflowed.

Families in Barangay Poblacion moved out of their homes and settled in their gymnasium during the onslaught of Agaton. Some families have already returned to their houses when Davide visited their place.

In Boljoon Central School in Barangay Lunop, Davide thanked the parents who were clearing the school grounds of mud and debris.

Boljoon’s MDRRMO head Eufemio Ternate and Municipal Engineer Fulgencio Adaro, thanked the governor for stationing the province’s newly bought backhoe digger in their town to help clear their rivers and roads of eroded soil and debris.

In Barangay Lower Becerril, Barangay Captain Patrocinio Castroverde narrated to Davide how the chest-deep flood waters swamped their barangay hall when Agaton struck.

An uprooted tree also rammed into the barangay’s bridge. Barangay councilor Ernesto Romero and some barangay workers had to cut the tree to save the bridge.

Davide also checked on the town’s relocation site, also in Barangay Lower Beceril, which site development is set to start this first quarter of 2018.

According to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) head Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., the Cebu Archdiocese will donate a five-hectare portion of their 25-hectare lot there as the town’s relocation site.

He said PENRO’s geodetic engineer is now working on the lot’s subdivision plan.

In Santander, where Agaton made landfall, Vice Mayor Wilson Wenceslao accompanied the governor in his inspection.

After which, Davide headed to Toledo City, where flooding was reported a day before the storm made landfall.

Toledo City’s acting Mayor Antonio Yapha and city officials accompanied the governor to Barangay Lindahan, where a landslide also occurred.

Lindahan Barangay Captain Edwin Baugbog thanked Davide for sending Capitol’s newly bought backhoe digger to clear some of their roads covered by mud and debris.

Davide said he is pleased to know that the provincial government’s heavy equipment is addressing the Cebuanos’ concerns and needs.

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