The La Union provincial government, in cooperation with local government units (LGUs) and various government and non-government organizations, has been carrying out relief response, road clearing operations, and power restoration in typhoon-affected areas as part of its recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

This after Typhoon Emong (international name Co-May) left over PHP6.5 billion worth of damage in the province — over PHP6 billion in infrastructure; PHP215 million to tourism; PHP276 million to agriculture, and PHP23 million to livestock, based on the latest assessment of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office as of Thursday.

“We are focused on expediting the clearing operations in priority areas and doing our very best to provide the needs of the constituents,” Governor Mario Eduardo Ortega said in a statement on Friday.

A total of 156,109 families or 487,284 individuals were affected by the typhoon, with two fatalities reported, including a 25-year-old male from Caba town who drowned in a river and a 12-year-old boy who succumbed to a fatal chest injury after a mango tree fell on their house.

Relief operations by the provincial government, local government units, and non-government organizations continue with around 10,000 family food packs distributed this week to ensure immediate aid and support to the affected families.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has distributed cash assistance to the affected communities through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations Program in Sudipen town.

Ortega said they are in close coordination with local chief executives to ensure prompt and continuous delivery of assistance to affected residents.

“We are studying the provision of assistance for rebuilding our infrastructure and tapping into various government line agencies to provide support to our farmers, fisherfolk, and to aid the livelihood of our affected constituents,” Ortega said.

As of 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the number of damaged houses in the province due to Emong has reached over 39,000. Of which, 3,500 were wrecked.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development in Ilocos Region is coordinating with the LGUs for the number of residents needing financial assistance under the Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program. Through the LGUs, data are gathered, assessed, and verified.

Meanwhile, electricity in 83.33 percent of households in La Union province has been restored as of Aug. 6, two weeks after Emong hit the province.

Ortega had a dialogue with the two electric companies in the province and assured the residents of their prompt response as they work double time to fully restore the power to all affected households.

Electric companies from neighboring provinces also heeded the province’s call for La Union Agkaysa as they deployed their personnel and extended help to the local electric supply providers to hasten power rehabilitation.

Power in the eight out of 20 localities have been fully restored. (PNA)