Naga suffers P380-M damages in infra, agri

NAGA CITY --- Initial estimate of damages to public infrastructure and agriculture in the city have reached P380-million as the city government rushes the formulation of a policy on the possible grant of emergency shelter assistance to families whose houses were either totally destroyed or partially damaged.

This development was obtained during the management committee meeting of city officials and department heads, where it was reported that there was zero-casualty in the city during the onslaught of super typhoon “Rolly.”

The formulation of the shelter assistance program was assigned to the City Social Welfare and Development Office along with the Housing and Settlements Development Office, the Office of the Guinhawang Nagueño, CDRRMO, and the Office of the City Administrator.

The City Engineer’s Office was tasked to submit on Wednesday, Nov. 4, a detailed cost estimate of damages including repair or reconstruction of devastated public infrastructures, which was initially placed at P250 million.

ROAD CLEARING. Personnel of the City Engineer’s Office use power saws to cut a fallen tree blocking the main road of Barangay Pacol (Kilometro 8). The tree was toppled by strong winds of super typhoon Rolly last Nov. 1. JBN/REY BAYLON/CEPPIO

Super typhoon “Rolly” has damaged private infrastructures amounting to P86 million, while power and telecommunications in the city were reported to have suffered losses estimated at P28 million, P2.8 million for water system, and P800 thousand for school buildings.

Some P11 million damages on the city’s CCTV systems and P1.5 million in 4,000 streetlights were also reported by the Public Safety Office and the General Services Office, respectively.

Some damages were also reported in Bicol Central Station, Naga City District Abattoir, and Naga City People’s Mall, but these economic enterprises of the LGU were able to resume operations the next day when “Rolly” wrought havoc in the region.

In the damage report of the City Agriculture Office, some 513 hectares of rice (497 farmers) were reported to have been affected and incurred a total damage of P7.2 million, while in corn, 40 hectares (seeding stage) and 15 farmers were affected that resulted in the total damage of P430,000.

Other affected agricultural crops and their corresponding damage were: vegetables, P3.7 million; cassava, P40,000; banana (saba), P250,000; mango (carabao), P50,000; calamansi, P150,000; pili, P125,000; cacao, P260,000 and cut flower, P80,000. The city nursery facility was also damaged particularly its Rice Processing Center and 2 Village-Type Dryers amounting to more than P1 million.

On evacuation and relief operations, 2,845 families (10,107 individuals) were evacuated to 188 evacuation areas. The residents who were brought to safer areas during the storm were assisted in going back to their houses after the typhoon.