SP declares Pangasinan under state of calamity

Lingayen----Pangasinan has been placed under state of calamity due to the extent of damages wrought by Typhoon Lando.

The Provincial Board declares Pangasinan under state of calamity due to the extent of damages
 caused by Typhoon Lando in an emergency session at the PDRRMC office

In an emergency session conducted by the provincial board on October 20 at the PDRRMC, the members of the board led by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr. approved Provincial Resolution No. 1608-2015 declaring a state of calamity in the entire province due to the “vast damages” wrought by the typhoon.

The resolution states: "the Province of Pangasinan has suffered strong winds and heavy downpour brought about by Typhoon 'Lando' for almost three days from October 17-19, 2015."
The state of calamity is intended to start the rehabilitation of the damages caused by Typhoon "Lando" and to augment the relief operations in the Province and alleviate the plight of those affected by the typhoon.

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr., earlier said in an interview that pro-active response has been conducted in coordination with various line agencies to address the needs of the people who are mostly affected by the calamity.

Stressing that the mostly affected infrastructures were schools and government buildings, the governor assured that rehabilitation and repair will be immediately undertaken to ensure that activities will soon normalize.
It can be recalled that Pangasinan was placed under public storm warning signal number 3 on October 18 which caused power outage on most parts of Eastern, Central and Western Pangasinan due to toppled electrical posts.

Seven fatalities were recorded, namely: Mauro Nuerong (Brgy. Pampano, Mangatarem), Regina Sabangan (Brgy. Bongato East, Bayambang), Jan Kerby Capena (Brgy. Ilog Malino, Bolinao), Cristina Veloria, Sixto Veloria, Susana Cabana, and Trisha Cabana (all from Sitio Barukong in Bani).

Six others were injured namely Alejandro Castillo (Brgy. Buayan, Bayambang), Ariel Capena and Ismeralda Capena (both from Brgy. Ilog Malino, Bolinao), Ernesto Tenoso and Roderick Macasieb (both from Brgy. Pantal, Manaoag), and Gregorio De Guzman (Brgy. Agno, Tayug).

Initial and partial reports on damages in terms of infrastructure have reached a total of P49,950,000 while damage to agriculture is assessed at P10,872,112 as of 12NN of October 20. However, the offices of the Provincial Agriculturist and the Provincial Engineer said that the figures will go up when substantial reports from the field will come in.

As of yesterday afternoon, the water level in San Roque Dam is at 284.18 meters above sea level (masl), or 4.18 meters above its spilling level, with an inflow of 1060 cubic meters per second (cms) of waters from the upstream and an outflow of 601.72 cms into the dam's four spillgates opened at 0.5 meter each.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,329 families have been evacuated to some 41 evacuation centers located in some 14 hard-hit towns, according to the PSWDO.

The 17 towns with evacuees include the following: Anda, Basista, Binmaley, Bolinao, Bugallon, Infanta, Mabini, Mangaldan, Lingayen, San Fabian, Sual, Manaoag, San Nicolas, and Mangatarem.

PSWDO reported that a total of 5650 family packs have been distributed as 2 pm on October 20.

Aside from relief goods, all evacuees were also given free medical check-ups by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) medical team where medicines and vitamins were given.

All national roads, however, as well as other major thoroughfares are now passable to all types of vehicles except for the following: Padilla bridge connecting Lingayen and Bugallon which is closed due to rehabilitation/repair, Urdaneta-Brgy. Pinmaludpod-Calasiao (not passable to all vehicles, Urdaneta-Brgy. Inamatan-Manaoag (not passable to light vehicles).

Suspension of classes in all levels was issued by the Governor on October 19 and 20 covering both public and private schools.

During the SP session, Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr. commended the PDRRMC and all line agencies for doing their job well in providing quick response especially of rescue and relief operations to affected Pangasinenses. (Ruby R. Bernardino)