State of Calamity Declared in Mountain Province

Members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan here passed Resolution No. 2018 – 405 declaring Mountain Province under state of calamity considering the devastation caused by Typhoon Ompong to lives and limbs, agricultural lands, crops, infrastructure and other properties in the province,

The declaration was based on Resolution No. 2018 – 09 of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) recommending for the declaration of the province in a state of calamity due to back to back destruction brought about by enhanced Southwest monsoon and Typhoon Ompong.

As stated in the resolution, the province is still recovering from the effects of last month’s storm-enhanced Southwest monsoon rains where an estimated cost of damages amounted to P145, 492,525.00 covering residential houses, agricultural crops and various infrastructures.

Typhoon Ompong did not spare the province. It is one of the hardest hit provinces in the Cordillera with major damages on agricultural crops, private properties, lives, infrastructure and road networks.

Based on PDRRMC report, Typhoon Ompong claimed the lives of a family of six members and injured three other individuals.

The landslide at Sitio Dantay, Alab Oriente in this town on September 15 buried a house claiming the lives of Orlando and Nena Prisca Baggay, both 68 years old, Darwin Minimo,37; his wife Lanibeth,36, and two of their children, Kiershten Mae,13, and Klyde, 4 years old.

Injured are Glenda Leine Minimo, 14, and Darren Lee Minimo, 11. Injured in a seaparate incident is Segundo Wasian, 55 years old from Balaoa, Tadian.

There are 423 families or 1,577 individuals affected. 350 families evacuated in the evacuation centers and houses of their neighbors and relatives. Latest report showed that there are still 18 families who have not yet returned to their respective homes.

About 208 houses were reported damaged with 194 partially damaged and 14 totally damaged.

There were reported 48 landslides, ten eroded ripraps and two flooding incidents in the different municipalities in the province. To date, all national roads are open to traffic except for the Baguio – Bontoc road section at Barangay Busa, Sabangan due to road wash out. Motorists and commuters from Bontoc, Sagada, Besao and the other eastern towns are using the alternate route via Abatan, Bauko that connects to the Baguio Bontoc road at the Mabaay junction. When the road slip at Sinipsip in Buguias, Benguet was not not yet opened (one way passable since Sept. 20), commuters going to the province travelled via Bessang in Ilocos Sur, or via Banaue .

There are still seven reported provincial roads and 11 municipal roads in the province that are still closed to traffic.
At the onset of Typhoon Ompong, the province also experienced power outage due to toppled, tilted and fallen posts in various areas. According to Cesaria Kiat-ong of the Mountai Province Elerctric Cooperative, power restoration in the province as of September 20 is 96%.

The declaration of the province in state of calamity is seen to fastrack the rehabilitation of damages with the use of calamity funds. (JDP/ JBS-PIA CAR, Mt. Province)