Pangasinan under state of calamity after “Falcon”
LINGAYEN–Pangasinan was declared under a state of calamity in a resolution passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during its special session on June 29 in response to the extensive damage caused by the week-long southwest monsoon rains aggravated by tropical storm “Falcon”.
Avenix Arenas, spokesperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC), said the declaration gave local government units the authority to utilize a portion of their emergency funds to help those affected by the calamity.
The special session, according to Board Member Jeremy Rosario, was called by Governor Amado Espino Jr. after receiving the report of the PDRRMC indicating that 182 barangays in 20 towns and four cities of Pangasinan were affected.
The affected 20 towns and four cities were spread in all the six districts, covering an area of about 50% of the entire province.
At the time the resolution was approved by the SP, some barangays were still under water.
DAMAGES
The PDRRMC reported damages worth P157.4 million worth in agriculture and infrastructure.
The damages in agriculture were pegged at P95.8 million, with fishery suffering the biggest at P46.5 million. Palay losses were estimated at P29.9 million; corn, P15.3 million; and high value commercial crop, P3.9 million.
The affected agriculture areas include Lingayen, Bugallon, San Quintin, Malasiqui, Urdaneta, Alcala, Mabini, Umingan, Labrador, Infanta, Basista, Calasiao, Bugallon, Mangatarem and Urbiztondo.
The biggest damages in infrastructure were on provincial and barangay bridges, P37.9 million; provincial and barangay roads, P16 million; and national roads, P7.7 million.
There were 16,347 families or 94,848 persons affected.
At the height of the monsoon rains and storm, 384 families or 2,028 persons were evacuated in 24 evacuation centers.
Only one person was reported to have drowned, identified as Cresencio Jacob Estraela, 36, of Camantiles, Urdaneta City who fell into the water while crossing the Tulong River in that city.
Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan told newsmen that the volume of rains dumped in the affected areas were even larger than those triggered by typhoon “Pepeng” two years ago, but was of shorter duration.
SAN ROQUE DAM
Further, the water level at the San Roque dam at the height of storm Falcon remained below the spilling mark so that no water release was necessary that could have aggravated the flooding.
Vice-President for social corporate responsibility Tommy Valdez of the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) reported last Thursday that the water level then was only about P244 meters above sea level (masl), while the normal high/spilling level is at 280 masl.
Valdez debunked speculations that the yearly flooding in Pangasinan is due to water releases from the dam.
Arenas supported the claim of Valdez saying the council was in constant communication with the dam management and the National Power Corporation (NPC) to monitor and assess the situation.
Due to massive losses resulting from the major flooding in 2009, a group of businessmen and lawyers filed complaints against NPC and SRPC before the courts.
The complaints are pending before the courts.
CLEARED RIVERS
Meanwhile, Arenas reported that “floodwaters due to typhoon Falcon have subsided faster than expected” owing to the flood mitigation project launched by the provincial government, particularly the river clearing operations under the “Ilog Ko, Bilayen Tan Aroen Ko” program.
“Without the clearing operation conducted by the province, rains brought by Falcon may have submerged the affected towns for a longer period,” she added.
DECLARATION HIT
Meanwhile, some sectors have criticized the declaration of a state of calamity in the entire province instead of focusing on just the affected areas.
Arenas defended the declaration citing the Local Government Code, that the provincial council may declare a state of calamity if two municipalities have already made a declaration.
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