Filtered By: Topstories
News

Ambo impact, dengue outbreak, COVID-19 threat challenge Eastern Samar —governor


Eastern Samar governor Ben Evardone lamented the challenges the province is facing addressing the impact of Typhoon Ambo as well as the emergence of dengue cases and the threat of COVID-19, all at the same time.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV on Monday, Evardone said the simultaneous calamities have resulted in the depletion of the province's funds.

“Medyo problematic talaga. Talagang depleted na, halos ubos na rin ‘yung pondo namin sa calamity fund,” Evardone said.

Typhoon Ambo made landfall in Eastern Samar on Thursday and battered the province.

Citing the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Evardone said initial reports estimate around P928 million worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture, of which P912 million in damage to agriculture. He said even the stocks stored after harvest were affected.

“Maraming inanod na kalabaw, baboy, lahat. Siyempre, mga pananim, sira, niyog, palayan. Lahat pati ‘yung mga na-harvest—harvest season kasi sa amin ngayon—inabot din ng baha. So sira ‘yung mga palay nila” he said.

Evardone said it was rare for a typhoon to hit the province in May during the dry season.

Appeal for donations

The Eastern Samar government is coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Agriculture for relief goods and assistance to 47,000 affected families.

“’Yung mga mga munisipyo at tsaka mga barangay, said na rin sila sa pondo para sa relief funds kahit naman ang province kasi naka-ilang wave na kami na nagbigay para sa COVID [relief],” Evardone said.

The governor appealed for the private sector to donate food packs, medicines, and construction materials for the families affected by Ambo.

“Dalawang buwan na kaming naka-lockdown, hanggang ngayon naka-general community quarantine pa kami,” he added.

COVID-19 watch and dengue cases

After Ambo’s onslaught, only 243 of the 641 isolation facilities dedicated to suspected patients of COVID-19 were left, with the rest destroyed or damaged, according to Evardone.

The governor stressed that they need the isolation facilities because they are expecting around 20,000 people will return to the province after the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.

“Yun ang kailangan matulungan kami ng national government, ma-set up 'yun agad-gagaran kasi oras, minuto ang laban natin sa COVID,” he said.

“Kung meron halimbawa maging symptomatic diyan, maging suspect, saan namin dadalhin sa bayan niya? Hindi naman papayag ‘yung ibang bayan. Magagalit ‘yung tao sa ibang town,” he said.

So far, Evardone said, no confirmed case of COVID-19 has been reported yet in Eastern Samar. More than 4,000 people already finished quarantine.

Those who are still undergoing quarantine came from other parts of the country. “Yung iba nakakalusot ng Metro Manila,” he said.

Meanwhile, Evardone said, a provincial health officer informed him a couple of weeks ago of emerging cases of dengue in the area.

“Meron din kaming outbreak ng dengue...May mga casualties na kami. Halos sumabay nitong pag-lockdown namin may mga dengue,” he said.

Everdone pointed out that highlighting the dengue outbreak in the province may trigger panic among his constituents. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT