Schools, irrigation canals damaged by earthquake

AROUND 35 schools in 15 school division offices from Luzon sustained infrastructure damages in the aftermath of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Abra and nearby provinces on Wednesday morning, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

Based on the initial Rapid Assessment of Damages Report (RADaR) of the agency’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), there were 11 damaged schools from Region III (Central Luzon), nine from Region II (Cagayan Valley), eight schools from Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and seven schools from the Region I (Ilocos Region) which incurred damages from the recent earthquake.

The DRRMS report revealed that the initial estimated cost for the earthquake’s reconstruction and rehabilitation of the damaged schools is P228.5 million.

Moreover, there were around 8,027 affected schools or those schools in areas with reported and instrumental intensity in the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s (Phivolcs) Earthquake Information or were reported to have casualties.

DepEd has attended the 1st Response Cluster Meeting and joined the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Virtual Emergency Operations Center to assess further the situation of the affected regions due to the earthquake.

“The Department of Education (DepEd) is one with the nation in praying for the safety and welfare of the Filipino people amidst the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Abra.”

DepEd has called for an emergency meeting with the Regional and Division DRRM Coordinators of the affected regions to present updates and response actions undertaken by their office.

DRRMS has likewise coordinated with the field DRRM Coordinators to get the latest updates on the number of affected learners, teachers, and non-teaching personnel.

The earthquake’s epicenter, which Phivolcs categorized as tectonic, was in Tayum, Abra. Intensity VII was felt at Bucloc and Manabo, Abra (reported), and Vigan City (instrumental).

‘DMW to assist OFW families affected by earthquake’

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople Thursday said the DMW is allocating a P20-million support and assistance fund for families of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) affected by the recent 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit northern Luzon.

“This is just an initial allotment to help OFW families affected by the earthquake. I have directed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to immediately provide help and find out what other forms of assistance the DMW can provide,” Ople said.

“We will wait for the damage assessment report made by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to determine which regions and areas are most affected so we can prioritize OFW families there,” Ople added.

The DMW Secretary also said she is in discussion with the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), or Pag-IBIG Fund, to facilitate emergency loan applications for OFW families affected by the earthquake.

Ople said affected families applying for DMW financial assistance can file applications with the nearest OWWA office in their regions.

They only need to show proof that at least one member of the family is an OFW currently deployed overseas, she said.

Once verified, the applications shall be endorsed for financial assistance. The one-time allocation can be used for food, medicines, groceries, water, or any items the OFW family needs immediately.

‘Danao to NPAs in Abra: Spare our troops making relief efforts’

Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge (PNP-OIC) Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr. on Thursday appealed to the New People’s Army (NPA) to “refrain” from attacking policemen and soldiers involved in a massive search-rescue-and-relief operation in quake-ravaged Abra province.

“We have a problem on insurgency in the province, that’s why I’m appealing to the rebels to please spare our men this time. Wala pong dalang armas ang mga nagdadala ng tulong po sa probinsiya. Hindi po ito panahon ng giyera, panahon po ito ng pagtutulungan at nandun po sila para magbigay ng ayuda,” the top cop said shortly after leading the send-off ceremonies for the police mission in Abra.

Danao appealed to the NPA amid an incident in Gandara, Samar, where NPA rebels attacked a group of local policemen extending aid to the “poorest of the poor” in the municipality two Saturdays ago, killing Patrolman Mark Monge.

The official said that the cops who left Camp Crame on Thursday morning were bringing salination equipment that can produce potable water for affected Abra residents.

“Sa ngayon, well-coordinated ang ating mga rescue units lalo na sa Regional and Provincial headquarters. So far, there are only search-and-rescue operations, hopefully, hindi na madagdagan ang casualties,” he added.

Danao said he talked with Area Police Command-Northern Luzon commander, Lt. Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., and Cordillera Police Regional Office director, Brigadier Gen. Ronald O. Lee, regarding their ongoing relief operations.

As of press time, there have been four confirmed fatalities and 131 injuries due to the earthquake.

Danao called on the public to pray not only for the persons affected by the quake but also for the safety of the policemen, soldiers, and other law enforcement agencies and government units involved in the massive search, rescue, and relief operations in the affected provinces.

“We should pray for all our people, our country, especially in this time of grief. Malaki po talaga ang damage, but I hope na hindi po ganun kalaki tulad nung 1990 earthquake,” said the PNP-OIC, who was about to graduate from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) when the killer quake hit Baguio City and other parts of Northern Luzon killing over 1,600 people and injuring more than 3,500 others.

PMA students were among the first responders during the 1990 earthquake in Baguio City.

Danao also ordered all PNP units in areas affected by the strong earthquake in Northern Luzon to assist the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs) in road clearing operations.

The PNP high command, thru the Disaster Incident Management Task Group, has instructed the Regional and Provincial Police Offices to initiate efforts to clear main roads and thoroughfares of debris and road hazards to allow unhampered passage of emergency services and vehicles transporting essential disaster-response equipment and personnel to areas affected by the 7.3 magnitude tremor.

Danao instructed Azurin to mobilize the Regional Mobile Force Battalions (RMFB) and Provincial Mobile Force Companies (PMFC) for road-clearing and disaster response operations.

‘Several courts suspend work due to strong quake’

Several courts in Northern Luzon and National Capital Region (NCR) have suspended work following the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Abra on Wednesday morning.

In an advisory, the Supreme Court (SC) said Malabon City Regional Trial Court and Hall of Justice in Urdaneta City have suspended work in all its branches and offices.

Likewise, the Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC) Branches 1 and 2 in San Fernando, La Union, and the Lingayen, Pangasinan regional trial court, and the municipal trial court have followed suit.

But these branches and offices may still be reached through their official hotlines and email addresses, the high court said.

On Wednesday morning, a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Abra, and other areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

The earthquake, which was felt at 8:43 a.m., was tectonic in origin.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake occurred at 8:43 a.m. and was located at 17.64°N, 120.63°E – 003 km N 45° W of Tayum in Abra.

‘Strong quake damages Bantay irrigation canal – NIA’

The magnitude 7 earthquake that hit many provinces in the northern part of the country has affected irrigation service to about 2,000 hectares of agricultural land after the Main Canal (150 meters) of Banaoang Pump Irrigation System (Banaoang PIS) in the municipality of Bantay, Ilocos Sur was damaged.

In its post-earthquake assessment of irrigation damages, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported that the estimated cost of infrastructure damage is P15 million.

The NIA said no damages were recorded at the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan.

The irrigation infrastructures in La Union and Ilocos Norte also recorded “zero” or no major damages.

The NIA Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) also recorded no damage to NIA CAR office buildings, except the Abra Satellite Office, with an estimated damage cost of P5 million.

The Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS) in Kalinga and West Apayao Abulug Irrigation System (WAAIS) intake gates, on the other hand, were closed for inspection of possible damages to the canal embankment.

Meanwhile, the Field Offices Calamity Task Force is monitoring the status of ongoing and existing infrastructures.

Also, the NIA Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS) reported that Magat Dam and its appurtenant structures, Baligatan Hydroelectric Power Plant, Baligatan Diversion Dam, MARIS Dam and Bridge structure, buildings, and roads are undamaged and in good condition.

The NIA further disclosed that compared with previous readings, the earthquake has no significant impact on the dam structure and is in normal condition.

The NIA, meanwhile, inspected the drainage galleries, power transmission, distribution lines, the slide at the Korokan Fault, and watershed and reservoir rim.

MARIIS will request experts from NIA Central Office for a joint dam safety inspection and a more thorough evaluation.

In Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS), Department Manager Rosalinda B. Bote immediately ordered all UPRIIS offices to assess dams, canal structures, and office buildings.

As per the initial assessment, the earthquake in Abra did not affect the integrity of the Pantabangan Dam.

Visual observations also showed no major damages to the dam structures/embankment, building facilities, roadway, canal structures, and electro-mechanical components under UPRIIS Dam and Reservoir.

From the reports already forwarded by Division Office Engineers, no damages were recorded during their inspection. By Arlene Rivera, Jun I. Legaspi, Alfred Dalizon, Hector Lawas & Cory Martinez