CAGAYAN Vice Governor Melvin “Boy” Vargas Jr. has returned to his province from Batasan Complex in Quezon City after the scheduled hearing Wednesday that he was about to attend was cancelled at the last minute due to Super Typhoon “Egay”.

Vargas heaved a sigh of relief Wednesday morning and traveled an eight-hour journey at the very least to check his constituents affected by Super Typhoon Egay that made landfall in Cagayan.

“I learned when I was near Congress and sinabi po sa akin na canceled po ‘yung ating hearing. It’s a perfect decision considering po na ‘yung welfare po ng ating constituents ang kailangan po nating priority sa probinsya ng Cagayan,” Vargas said in an interview in Batasan before returning to his province.

Vargas was one of the resource persons during the joint hearing of the House committees on public accounts and on suffrage and electoral reforms at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

“I salute as well as I commend the decision of the Congress to postpone, to be able to prioritize our constituents,” Vargas said.

“We have more than 5,000 families who are in the evacuation center.

Ito po ‘yung sa iba’t-ibang parte ng probinsya ng Cagayan,” he said.

“Yung downstream or coastal po talaga ang maraming evacuees, in particular po ‘yung Sta. Ana,” he bared.

Even before Egay made landfall, the vice governor said the rains and winds in the province have been “very strong”.

He said this was the reason why families were evacuated in advance and provided with relief packs.

Vargas said officials are continuously monitoring the situation and looking at the effects of Egay.

“Hopefully, we pray, sana po walang maapektuhan, wala pong casualty.

For sure maraming damages po niyan after the typhoon, especially in houses, especially in agriculture, sigurado po ‘yan. Maraming tatamaan po na agricultural products natin doon,” he said.

“The priority should be our constituents, their welfare,” Vargas said.