A few days after Super Typhoon Rolly hit land in Catanduanes, residents are slowly picking up the pieces.
Houses have been devastated, parts of the Virac Airport and establishments have been damaged, 90 percent of electric lines have been toppled over that caused massive blackout in the whole island, and communication lines have been cut off.
More than 10,000 families or more than 40,000 individuals have been affected. 55,000 families were evacuated in the midst of the storm. Typhoon Rolly left behind 5 casualties, 5 injured and 1 missing.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Sec. Rolando Bautista arrived in Catanduanes carrying 1000 family food packs, hygiene kits and laminated socks. Aboard a chopper, Sec .Bautista also checked on Bato where Typhoon Rolly first had its landfall.
“Ang (the) Initial assessment is, we will provide cash assistance, ‘yung mga namatay, ‘yung mga na-wounded (for those who died and got wounded). We are also planning out, in-offer namin sa ating LGU ‘yung Food for Work program (we offered to the LGU the Food for Work [program]).
While many people were affected and sought temporary shelter, evacuation centers were immediately left empty after evacuees either stayed with relatives or started rebuilding their homes.
Both the morale of the local government and its constituents got boosted with the arrival of assistance particularly relief goods from the national government. The people of Catanduanes are now asking for the immediate restoration of power and communication in the island.
Report by Ryan Lesigues
