Capiz locals struggle amid meager Ursula relief, absence of electricity

Two days after the onslaught of Typhoon Ursula, residents of Capiz called on the public and concerned agencies for help given the inadequate amount of disaster relief reaching them and the absence of electrical power in most of the province.

"Wala po kaming makain, wala pa kaming tirahan, tulungan niyo sana kami," a resident said in a report by Jonathan Andal on GMA News' 24 Oras on Thursday.

"Kahit basa 'yung bigas, tinitiis, sinasaing namin para makakain kami. Yung pagkain namin sir inaano lang namin, 'yung hati hati lang sir, kinakaldo para makakain kami lahat," another resident lamented.

Seventy percent of the province did not have electricity while 165 barangays were still flooded.

"Based sa rapid assessment nila, masyadong... mas marami ang naapektuhan ngayon so yesterday we declared a state of calamity," Capiz Governor Esteban Contreras said.

According to the Capiz provincial government, 16,000 houses were damaged by Ursula while 138,000 residents were affected.

Three victims had died in the province while two were reported missing.

‘Paano kami babangon’

Meanwhile, Oriental Mindoro's Bulalacao town took so much damage from the typhoon that residents doubted their ability to bounce back from the calamity.

"Iniisip ko kung paano kami babangon, dahil sa tanang buhay ko, ngayon ko lang naranasan yung super lakas na bagyo," resident Charity Gusi said in a report by Cecille Villarosa.

"Grabeng lakas ng hangin tapos hindi talaga kami makalabas ng bahay, sumisilip lang kami jan sa bintana eh. Lumikas lang kami sa pamangkin ko dahil itong bahay namin parang iangat na ang bubong eh," she added.

The town had been without electricity for three days while numerous structures were damaged.

Four people were reported to have died during the disaster, according to the local government.

"The urgent need talaga ng mga kababayan ko is the shelter assistance in the form ng roofing materials, mga yero, then plywood, pako," Bulalacao Mayor Ernilo Villas said.

More than 1,500 houses were totally damaged while more than 5,000 houses were partially damaged. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News