DAGUPAN CITY –The Dagupan City council, headed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez, moved to declare a state of calamity in the city to enable the city government to effectively respond to the emergency situation in the aftermath of typhoon ‘Cosme’.

Dagupan City administrator Alvin Fernandez said relief and rescue operations are now going round-the-clock spearheaded by the City Disaster Coordinating Council under the direction of Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr.

Three boys were also reported to have drowned along Tanap River in Sitio Catacdang in barangay Bonuan Gueset.

The bodies of the three, Miguel Poserio, 2; his brother Randyl, 3 and Rodyl, 4 were recovered only last Sunday and Monday. Randyl and Rodyl were earlier declared as missing.

Some 2,000 homes were totally destroyed and 3,000 others partially in Dagupan City.

The City Disaster Coordinating Council initially estimated the losses in fisheries at P550 million and in crops at P800,000.

Fishpen owners prematurely harvested their bangus, selling these at P30 per kilo, down from P80 per kilo before the typhoon.

The police also reported to the PDCC that two detainees at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology district jail in Bonuan managed to escaped at 8:50 p.m. of Saturday, at the height of typhoon “Cosme”

A third escapee, whose name is not available yet, was captured during a pursuit operation.

Meanwhile in Lingayen, Governor Amado Espino Jr. said clearing operations are still going on in several areas, aiming to make all roads in the province passable, and all towns accessible within the next few days.

While he was pessimistic about an early restoration of electricity in all the towns, he expressed hope nonetheless that a 24-hour work-shift will enable some towns to have power restored within the week.

Espino thanked both Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap who arrived separately to assess the damages and plan for rehabilitation program for the province, for their concern for the province’s plight.

The two high government officials both assured that help is forthcoming.

At least 11 persons were reported to have perished from the typhoon in separate towns of Pangasinan since Saturday night.

The fatalities were identified by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) as Lourdes Soriano, 72, of barangay Portic, Bugallon; Cesario Basi, also of Portic, Bugallon; George Pascua of Bolasi, San Fabian;

Carlito Maganes of Salay, Mangaldan, who was electrocuted; Elpedio Maoile of Infanta; Nicadio Ferrer of Lingayen; Mario Quinto of Urdaneta City; and Remedios Paolo, 72, of Bolaoen, Bugallon.

According to the PDCC, the worst hit area in Pangasinan is the province’s western part.

The towns of Infanta, Aguilar, Bugallon and Lingayen reported that 70-90% of houses were either blown away or heavily damaged.

In Sta. Barbara town, flood spawned by the overflowing Sinocalan River has just set in barangay Dalongue and Maningding.

The PDCC reported that at least 33 persons from barangay Baritao and Pugaro in Manaoag were evacuated to the town’s sports center while two families from Doyong, San Carlos City were evacuated to the gymnasium of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in San Carlos City. –LM

24 towns, 4 cities in Pangasinan
worst-hit by typhoon

LINGAYEN —The province has been declared in a state of calamity by the provincial board after Governor Amado Espino Jr. said at least 24 towns and four cities in Pangasinan suffered greatly from the onslaught of typhoon “Cosme” that lashed out Saturday night.

Reports from province’s disaster coordinating council describe hundreds of houses, commercial establishments and public infrastructure to have been either destroyed or seriously damaged in those places.

The governor said this could be the worst calamity that hit the province as he pointed to millions worth of crops lost in the aftermath.

He added that all public schools in those places were not spared rendering these incapable of providing shelter to evacuees.

He believes that most of these schools would not be ready for the start of the school year next month.

Even the provincial capitol as well as the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center were damaged.

According to agricultural officials, most of the crops destroyed were corn and vegetables.

The governor asked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who made a short visit here on Monday, to immediately provide assistance to local farmers particularly seeds and fertilizers so they recover quickly.

“Our people also need financial help to build new or repair their houses,” Espino said.-LM

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