The Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) passed a resolution approving the rehabilitation and recovery program (RRP) for the damage the region sustained due to the southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by tropical cyclones Egay and Falcon.
In the aftermath of the typhoons in the Cordillera in July and August, there were 142,854 families or 509,918 individuals affected and 710 totally damaged and 21,531 partially damaged houses recorded.
A state of calamity was declared in Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province, Baguio City; Tinoc and Hungduan in Ifugao; and Balbalan in Kalinga.
The CRDRRMC sent post-disaster needs assessment teams to the areas that were declared under the state of calamity and their collection of baseline data and reports were the basis of the regional RRP.
The Cordillera RRP, which formulation also involved consultations with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce Inc. and the private sector representatives of the Regional Development Council, requires an investment of P13.3 billion.
By sector, P2.48B will be for the social sector, P8.16B for the infrastructure sector, P1.9B is for the productive sector, and P717 million is for the cross sector to cover the effects to vulnerable sector, culture and environment.
The RRP also include short-term and medium-term programs, plans and projects and the infrastructure projects are all guided by the “Build Back Better” principle.
With the RRP approved during CRDRRMC’s third quarter full council meeting on Sept. 28 in Baguio City, it will be submitted to the National DRRM Council for funding. Copies will also be provided to the offices of Cordillera representatives in Congress for possible assistance.
CRDRRMC Chairperson and Office of Civil Defense-Cordillera Director Albert Mogol reminded all council member agencies and local DRRM councils to continue with the proactive approach as the rainy season is not yet over.
Mogol also called on local DRRM councils to start their preparedness measures for the possible effect of the El Niño phenomenon, which the Pagasa forecast to be felt in Cordillera starting on the last few months of the year. – Carlito Dar
