THE fatalities caused by Super Typhoon Goni (local name: Rolly) have risen to 25, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Wednesday, November 4.
The breakdown of casualties were: 21 from Bicol, three from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) and one from Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan).
PNP Chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan also said 43 persons sustained injuries, 39 of which were from Bicol, and four from Calabarzon.
He added that two people are missing in Calabarzon, one in Mimaropa, and three in Bicol.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that a total of 2,083,222 individuals or 532,794 families were devastated by Rolly in Regions II, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and the National Capital Region.
Of the figure, 142,475 families or 517,172 people are being assisted in evacuation centers.
The estimated cost of damage to public infrastructure has so far amounted to P5.756 billion.
“As expected, our assessment teams identified [the] majority of the destruction in [the] Bicol Region amounting to P4.621 billion,” said Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar.
The cost includes damage to roads (P1.515 billion), bridges (P458.2 million), flood control structures (P2.036 billion), government buildings (P367.25 million), and other infrastructure (P1.379 billion).
Goni, now weakened into a tropical storm, is no longer directly affecting the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its 11 a.m. bulletin on Tuesday, the state weather bureau said Goni was last tracked 540 km West of Subic, Zambales, moving west-southwestward at 15 km/h. It bears maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.
Tropical storm ‘Siony,’ on the other hand, slightly intensifies as it moves slowly over the Philippine Sea, east of extreme Northern Luzon.
“‘Siony’ is forecast to intensify into severe tropical storm in the next 24 to 36 hours. Intensification into Typhoon is likely on Thursday prior to close approach or landfall over Extreme Northern Luzon,” said PAGASA.
Response
Malacañang said it sees no problem in realigning a portion of the proposed budget for the anti-communist task force to aid areas battered by Rolly as it is “within mandate” of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC).
“I think that’s the objective of the ELCAC… to promote development in areas with ongoing insurgencies because we know that poverty is still the root cause of insurgency,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Wednesday.
“So I don’t think there is any inconsistency with the proposal to actually spend funds in typhoon damaged areas because, I think, it is a fact that Bicol also is a hotbed for insurgency,” he added.
The statement came after Senator Risa Hontiveros proposed to reallocate a portion of the NTF-ELCAC’s P19-billion budget for 2021 to aid victims of Rolly.
The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), for its part, said it is looking into providing emergency shelter assistance to affected families by the typhoon.
“While the economy is disrupted in the (Bicol) region, we are looking at providing emergency shelter assistance to families whose homes were destroyed by the typhoon,” said Secretary Rolando Bautista.
The agency also said that over ₱8.3 million worth of aid has been given to people who were affected by Rolly.
The Philippine Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, granted P20 million worth of financial assistance to hospitals in areas battered by Rolly.
According to Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire, the aid was distributed to three DOH hospitals and affected areas and cities in Bicol.
P5 million went to Bicol Regional Training ang Teaching Hospital in Legazpi, Albay; another P5 million went to Bicol Medical Center in Naga City, Camarines Sir (P5 million); and P2 million went to Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center in Cabusao, Camarines Sur.
The province of Camarines Sur received P2 million, while Albay and Catanduanes received P1.5 million each. Naga City received P1.2 million, while Camarines Norte, Masbate, and Sorsogon received P600,000 each.
To those interested to extend aid, below is a list of organizations and groups with donation drives and relief initiatives:
Bayan Muna Partylist Bayang Matulungin Relief Operations
What: canned goods, bottled water, clothes, hygiene kits, medicines, or cash donations
Where: drop off station at Block 31 Lot 13 A. Bonifacio St., New Capitol Estate 1, Brgy. Batasan Hills, District 2, Quezon City. Cash donations through GCash (0917-168-6352), PayMaya (0917-168-6352) or PayPal.
Who: contact Sarah Velasco at 0923535419 for inquiries
Caritas Manila Oplan Damayan
What: cash donations for immediate needs, including food bags, shelter materials, clean water, blankets, mosquito nets, mats, and hygiene items
Where: BDO (000-5600-45905) BPI (3063-5357-01 / Dollar Accounts 3064-0033-55) Metrobank (175-3-17506954-3), or RCBC (000-300-090-2216).
National Union of Students of the Philippines
What: cash donations
Where: BPI Savings Account (Joshua Marcial / 3299-0460-51) BDO Savings Account (Lilac Fameronag / 011140018149) Metrobank (Jandeil Roperos / 181318-1664828), or GCash (Blaise Bellosillo / 0939-817-5590).
Lingap Gabriela
What: donations in cash and kind
Where: Gabriela Women’s Party Office at #25 K-10 St., West Kamias, Quezon City; Lingap Gabriela Office at SATU Building, Block 73, Lot 11, Don Mariano Marcos Avenue, North Fairview, Quezon City; Gabriela National Office at #35 Scout Delgado, Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City.
Inquirer Foundation
What: cash donations
Where: Inquirer Foundation Corp. Banco De Oro current account no. 007960018860
JCI Philippines – Oplan Kaagapay Super Typhoon Rolly
What: cash donations
Where: BDO, Quezon Avenue – Heroes Hills Branch (Junior Chamber International Phils., Inc. / Smart Checking Account No. 002018025076 / Swift Code BNORPHMM)
Who: contact NC John Joshua Cudia (0935-426-8718) to coordinate cash donations
Kaya Natin! Movement
What: cash donations
Where: PayPal, JustPayTo, or BPI Account: KN Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, Inc. (3081-1173-72). Send deposit slips to [email protected]
UP Catandungan Tabang Catanduanes
What: donations in cash and kind
Where: Metrobank (Romeo Russel Ham Somido / 1813 1813 62996), BDO (Shilley Babe P. Sta. Rosa / 0060 3023 3660). For in-kind donations, coordinate with Ma. Arlene S. Borja (0917 307 9148) or Meyrick U. Tablizo (0947 614 3724).
Sining Banwa
What: cash donations
Where: BPI (Jobert Landeza / 0859-2548-45), or Chinabank (Sining Banwa Albay Performance Collective, Inc. / 108002036024).
Tulong Kabataan Network
What: cash donations
Where: BPI Savings Account (Thalia R Villela / 008339 4735 53), or BDO Savings Account (Thalia R Villela / 012220 0134 36).
ABS-CBN Foundation
What: cash donations
Where: BDO Peso Account (0039301-14199 / Swift Code: BNORPHMM), BDO Dollar Account (1039300-81622 / Swift Code: BNORPHMM), BPI (3051-1155-88 / Swift Code: BOPIPHMM), Metrobank (636-3-636-08808-1 / Swift Code: MBTCPHMM), or Security Bank (000003312430-0 / Swift Code: SETCPHMM)
