International community provides aid, relief supplies to Lando victims

Philippine Air Force together with the Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and other Local Government Units joined in unloading from C-130 relief goods in Baler and Casiguran last October 21, 2015. (Photo by: A1C Yupangco, PIO-PAF)

MANILA – The international community started providing assistance and relief supplies to Typhoon Lando (international name: Koppu) victims in the Philippines.

Australia pledged to provide P33 million worth of supplies to various communities affected by the typhoon as it announced its government’s assistance.

“Australia, as a close friend of the Philippines, is saddened by the loss of life and damage to homes and property in the wake of this tragedy,” Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop said in a Philippine Star report.

France, for its part, also offered assistance as it ‘stands together with the Philippine government, expressing readiness to give favorable consideration to any request of assistance.’

“As the Philippines had just been struck by Typhoon Lando, which has led to dozens of casualties, France assures its solidarity to the Philippine government and to the Filipino people… We extend our condolences to the families of the victims,” the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development said in a statement.

Casiguran lauded

Casiguran has been considered as a model for disaster preparedness, after surviving the wrath of Typhoon Lando.

“I just want to convey to everyone our gratefulness for the efficient preparations.

Maybe starting from you (President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III) on top who gave the orders, along with our governor, mayor… they kept on reminding us captains to force the people to be evacuated so there had not been much problem in our barangays, except for destroyed houses and crops,” Calabgan barangay captain Conchita Descaraga said during the President’s visit to the municipality.

Aquino was pleased with the gratefulness and cooperation among the local officials and encouraged officials from other municipalities and provinces to keep on enforcing forced evacuations during storms, when needed.

The President came to Casiguran to distribute relief goods and inspect the damage caused by the typhoon. He then proceeded to Pangasinan and Pampanga to do the same.

In Casiguran, only two casualties were registered despite being in the eye of the typhoon. Days after the floodwaters started to subside, towns started to regain normalcy – many of their homes were damaged and they lost electricity supplies due to the strong winds which blew down electric posts.

P5.9 billion damage to crops

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Typhoon Lando caused P6.7 billion worth of damage to crops and infrastructure.

A total of P5.9 billion has been estimated on the agriculture sector, including 277,060 hectares of agricultural lands in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions.

The said regions incurred a production loss of 386,000 metric tons, with 360,000 MT accounting to palay which was worth P5.8 billion. Corn and high value crops registered 5,600 MT and 21,000 MT production losses, respectively. Livestock, on the other hand, incurred a P517,000 damage.