THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Thursday said damage caused by tropical storm Nalgae, locally named Paeng, to public infrastructure has reached P2.09 billion so far.
On power facilities, the Department of Energy (DoE) said damage incurred by electric cooperatives has been valued at P27.23 million.
Cost of damage to the agriculture sector, meanwhile, was estimated at P2.44 billion, including output losses and destroyed machineries and infrastructure, based on the Nov. 3 report of the national disaster management council.
“As of Thursday, Nov. 3, partial cost of damage to national roads, bridges, and flood-control structures of tropical storm Paeng has reached P2.09 billion,” DPWH said in a statement.
“Total cost of damage, subject for field validation, on national roads was placed at P917.80 million, P523.80 million on national bridges, and P652.76 million on flood control structures,” it added.
The Calabarzon region reported the biggest damage at P967.09 million. All other regions in the northern part of the country, except the capital region Metro Manila, incurred damage.
The three regions in central Philippines also bore damage, with Western Visayas having the highest cost at P150.41 million.
In the southern islands of Mindanao, the Bangsamoro autonomous region had an estimated damage cost of P200 million while Soccsksargen had P102.68 million.
There were still 24 closed road sections in various areas as of Thursday, DPWH said.
POWERThe National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported to the DoE that as of Nov. 3, a total of 20 cooperatives reported damage to their facilities.
These are in the northern mainland Luzon, surrounding island provinces as well as in the Visayas in central Philippines.
Meanwhile, the National Power Corp. said three diesel power plants are back to normal operations, while three others are operational and on standby while awaiting the restoration of distribution lines.
The DoE also said in its report that all power generation plants in the affected areas are back to normal operations.
On Wednesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed four regions under a state of calamity after the 16th typhoon to hit the country this year caused severe floods, killing more than a hundred people.
Covered by the six-month state of calamity under Proclamation 84 are Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas and the Bangsamoro. — Arjay L. Balinbin and Ashley Erika O. Jose