02/12/2013
Guv: Comvaleños have recovered from Pablo
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By Arianne Caryl N. Casas
Sunday, December 1, 2013
A YEAR after Typhoon Pablo battered Compostela Valley and left thousands of people dead and injured, Governor Arturo Uy said Comvaleños have started to recover and are now "emotionally less traumatic."
"Hindi nagkulang ang gobyerno," Uy told Sun.Star Davao in an interview at his office last week. "They (Comvaleños) are being provided by the government food and non-food items from the very first day until so many months."
Compostela Valley was one of the eight provinces that President Benigno Aquino III declared under State of National Calamity through Proclamation 522 on December 7, 2012 after Typhoon Pablo hit these areas on December 4, 2012.
In New Bataan, Pablo destroyed a total of 2,200 houses, damaged some 5,000 more houses, and affected some 12,000 families.
Uy said the province has eventually recovered from the wrath of Typhoon Pablo in terms of agriculture, shelters, and infrastructure, among others.
"Sa agriculture, ang hindi lang naka recover yung high valued-crops, yung coco trees, fruit trees dahil it would take you about five to six years. Yung mga fast crop lang like banana, camote, naka recover na by 80 percent. Palay fields naka recover na rin," he said.
In terms of providing shelters to families whose houses were destroyed, Uy said the province, together with its partners in National Housing Authority and Department of Social Welfare and Development, is aiming to build at least 5,000 houses out of 26,000 houses that need to be constructed for the destroyed houses.
"Nag umpisa na ang downloading ng mga pera so for this year for the 5,000 houses. So pag makatapos tayo ng 5,000, the rest will be next year na," he said.
Uy said damaged roads were already rehabilitated by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
"But ang mga big projects like tulay nandiyan na ang budget for phase 1 pero that will be implemented next year na by DPWH," he said.
"Syempre after that experience sa Pablo at lalo na experience natin sa Yolanda, my focus next year is to strengthen the disaster preparedness program," Uy said.
He added: "Kailangan tutukan itong programang ito kasi we will expect an every year we will be threatened by typhoon. Hindi natin alam kung dadapo sa Comval, sa ibang lugar. Definitely, hindi tayo pwedeng magkumpyansa."
First thing that the province is zeroing in for disaster preparedness is to make an inventory of all barangays on evacuation centers, Uy said.
"Ang idea ko kasi pag evacuation center, it should be on the second floor. Hindi pwedeng first floor lang kasi ang baha lampas pa ng ilang feet. It should be a two-storey-building. Isa na sa mga kinoconsider natin," he said.
Uy said there is no problem with the weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), stressing it has always been “very accurate.”
Guided by the warnings of Pagasa, he said the province hopes to record "less casualties, if not zero casualty" during calamities.
He said trainings are also needed to enhance the skills of the rescuers in each barangay.
Uy said the province will be needing at least P2 million for the rescuers capability building and training.
He said they will also provide more rescue equipment like rubber boats and backhoes, among others to each municipal disaster and risk reduction office.
Aside from rescue equipment, he said the Compostela Valley province is set to procure a satellite communication system considering the risk of the communication facilities being broke down when typhoon batters an area.
"Para kahit mag down yung Globe, Smart and Sun, makacommunicate pa rin tayo sa mga munisipyo," Uy said.
On December 4 (Wednesday), the province will commemorate the first year anniversary of Typhoon Pablo.
The activities include Rosary Walk of the Pilgrims, Watershed Tree Planting, and Blessing/Inauguration of the ‘Tower of Light’ in Ground Zero, Andap village in New Bataan.
