I. Norte is under State of Calamity

By PGIN-CMO

*Worth of damages on infra, agri climbs to P281M

PROV’L CAPITOL, Laoag City, Aug. 26– The Sangguniang Panglalawigan officially declared the province of Ilocos Norte under the State of Calamity (SoC) after the typhoon-induced monsoon rains followed by severe flooding devastated P281 million worth of infrastructure projects and agriculture crops here.

The SP members held on Saturday, Aug. 25 an emergency special board session presided by Vice Gov. Angelo Marcos Barba and made the formal SoC declaration. to serve as legal basis for the province to use the calamity fund for relief operations and rehabilitation of the damages.

It may be noted that during the past days, heavy rainfall and flooding put many areas under water while roads and bridges were impassable. Tertiary-level school classes and government offices were suspended shortly after noon on Friday.

At press time, a total of P281 million pesos worth of infrastructure projects and agriculture crops were damaged, the provincial resiliency office said.

Also, more than 14 thousand affected residents were initially recorded, it added.

The Ilocos Norte tourism office had an advisory to tourists to stay indoors and avoid going to the different tourist spots until further notice.

Gov. Imee Marcos said “Kinakailangan talaga na magtulungan tayong lahat. Nag-umpisa na ang pamamahagi natin ng mga relief goods at isusunod din natin ang mga medical operations.”

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council had already distributed initial relief goods in the towns of Paoay, Pasuquin, and Burgos.(pgin-cmo)