THE number of fatalities wrought by typhoon “Cosme” in the province has now risen to 29, according to the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC).

Paterno Orduna, PDCC executive officer, said the latest fatality was three year old Tisoy Cayabyab who drowned in Portic, Bugallon.

Three others were reported dead in Bugallon, four in Dagupan City. The towns of Aguilar, Mabini, Mangaldan and Mangatarem reported one fatality each while Infanta and San Carlos City had three each, four in Lingayen, and two each in Sta. Barbara, Sual and Urdaneta City.

The PDCC said the number of reported totally damaged houses has risen to 19,538 and the partially damaged houses now number 40,902.

Total crop damages were placed at P1.8 billion pesos. Of these, P987 million were lost on crops and P854 million on fisheries.

At presstime, a total of P60.2 million in damages on infrastructures and buildings have been reported.

Estimated damages to government hospitals were pegged at P1.02 million while provincial government buildings suffered damages worth P8.4 million.

The municipal and school buildings reported P25.2 million worth of damages while damage to roads and bridges has been estimated at P19.4 million.

Damages to other infrastructure facilities are estimated to be P6 million.

The council laments the slow transmittal of situationer reports particularly on fatalities and damaged infrastructures from local executives.

Havoc in San Carlos City

In San Carlos City where three persons were reported to have died at the height of the typhoon, seventy- three barangays out of 86 in San Carlos City were severely damaged.

The fatalities were Rogelio Austria, Benigno De Guzman, and Rosita Aquino. Austria, 61, married, a resident of Brgy. Cobol, instantly died after being hit by a fallen mango tree.

Both De Guzman, 58, married, from Padilla Street, and Aquino, 62, married, from Brgy. Bani, died of cardiac arrest at the height of the typhoon.

Twenty-two people were hospitalized and treated for physical injuries and hypertension.

Totally damaged houses numbered 6,880, while partially damaged houses numbered 10,320.

One hundred seventy-four classrooms of public schools were destroyed by the typhoon.

Some P562,269,620.00 worth of agricultural crops, livestock and poultry, were devastated.

Disaster in Binmaley

Binmaley is visibly among the worst-hit towns in the second district, along with Bugallon, Aguilar, Lingayen, Mangatarem and Urbiztondo.

However at presstime, the PDCC has yet to receive a report on the damages suffered by the town.

Mayor Simplicio Rosario was in the United States when ‘Cosme’ battered his town. He cut short his trip and returned last Monday to hind his own home heavily damaged.

He attended the PDCC meeting in Lingayen last Tuesday and was asked to render a situation report immediately.

On Sunday, the Dagupan-Lingayen road via Binmaley was almost impassable due to felled electric posts of the Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative (Cenpelco) and National Transmission Corporation (Transco).

Most if not all of Cenpelco’s electric posts along the Manat-San Carlos City road (inside Binmaley) have fallen by the roadside.

A communications tower of Smart reportedly fell on a furniture shop just before the junction of the Manat-San Carlos City road.

Mayor Al appeals for rehab loans

Dagupan City Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. has asked the Dagupan City council to pass a resolution asking the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to provide rehabilitation assistance to their members.

Fernandez made the call when he spoke before a special session of the city council headed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez.

The mayor said SSS and GSIS should grant home rehabilitation loans to their members who were among those whose houses were destroyed at the height of the typhoon.

The city disaster coordinating council said some 6,000 homes were wither partially or totally destroyed.

Meanwhile, the mayor ordered the Dagupan Water District to fully use its generators to operate their pumping station so potable water will be available at all times.

Fire trucks of the Dagupan City Fire Department are now being used to deliver potable water in waterless barangays.

Postponement of classes mulled

Governor Amado Espino Jr. is considering the postponement of the opening of classes for school year 2008-2009 in many parts of the province.

The opening of classes for schoool year 2008-2009 is originally slated on June 9.

A survey conducted by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council showed that many school buildings, especially in the second, third and fourth districts of the province were destroyed by the typhoon.

The governor said the rehabilitation of the schools will be a priority to prevent a long disruption in the schooling of children.

Most of the damaged schools lost their roofs and their walls collapsed.

Power restored in Manaoag, San Jacinto

Racing against time, crewmen from the Dagupan Electric Corporation (Decorp) worked round-the-clock to restore power in Manaoag and San Jacinto, four days after powerful typhoon “Cosme” struck.

The restoration was of power in Manaoag and San Jacinto would pave the way for the restoration of power in Dagupan City.

But before Decorp can restore electricity Dagupan, the towns of Sta. Barbara, Calasiao and San Fabian must first be served.

Decorp is now assisted by crewmen and machines from various electric cooperatives in Central and Northern Luzon.

Already in Dagupan to help Decorp are crewmen from the Tarlac Electric Cooperative, Angeles Electric Cooperative, Cabanatuan Electric Cooperative, Manila Electric Company and the La Union Electric Cooperative. #

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