Cooperation between local government units and national government agencies is vital in times of disasters.
Fortunately, the city government of San Pedro, Laguna led by Mayor Art Mercado has established cordial relations with national government officials – and those cordial relations proved to be valuable when heavy rains brought by typhoon “Enteng” lashed Laguna province last September 1.
Zero casualties
Despite reports of flooding in various areas in San Pedro City, including the barangays of Landayan, Cuyab and San Antonio, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported a remarkable “zero casualty” rate in the city.
“As of September 6, wala po tayong naitalang namatay, nasugatan o nawawala sa ating lungsod bunga ng epekto ng bagyong ‘Enteng,’” Nico Pavino, head of the San Pedro CDRRMO, shared in a message to OpinYon Laguna.
While the city government is still assessing the damage to property brought by the typhoon, reports from the San Pedro City Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO), posted on their social media page, recorded a total of 37 families or 130 individuals who were brought to the Rosario Evacuation Center; 27 families or 98 individuals at the Barangay San Roque Elementary School; 11 families or 38 individuals at the Barangay United Bayanihan Day Care Center; 63 families or 206 individuals at the Landayan Evacuation Center; 26 families or 96 individuals at the Barangay GSIS Evacuation Center.
The CDRRMO also responded to various incidents of fallen trees and debris that were carried away by floodwaters in Barangays San Vicente, San Antonio, and Bagong Silang.
“Kaagad naman po nating nabigyan ng ayuda ang mga residente na naapektuhan ng pagbaha na dulot ni ‘Enteng.’ Nag-dispatch po kami agad ng mga relief goods at iba pang mga gamit para sa ating mga kababayan na dinala sa mga evacuation center,” Pavino added.
Aid from government, private groups
Through all this, San Pedro City Mayor Mercado noted the speedy assistance of national government officials, which he said proved invaluable in providing relief to the affected families.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian visited the new CDRRMO Command Center in Barangay Poblacion, where they personally discussed with Mercado the state of the city as well as the disaster mitigation procedures put in place by the CDRRMO.
Abalos and Gatchalian also paid a personal visit to evacuation sites in the barangays of Rosario, GSIS, Landayan, San Roque and San Antonio (Carmen Homes).
The office of Senator Allan Peter Cayetano, on the other hand, brought food packs for evacuees, while the One Meralco Foundation and the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) also donated relief packs for families who were affected by "Enteng."
To ensure the well-being of evacuees, the City Health Office under Dr. Neil Castasus conducted free medical check-ups and medicines to evacuees.
Meanwhile, the city government through the City Engineering Office has constructed temporary wooden walkways in areas of Barangay Landayan that are still affected by flooding.
Praise from government officials
Government officials have lauded the San Pedro LGU for the "organized and orderly" assistance to evacuees, as well as the prompt distribution of relief packs to those affected by the typhoon.
"Dito po sa San Pedro City, hindi po tayo mangangamba dahil alam po natin na ginagawa po ni Mayor Art ang lahat ng hakbang upang masiguro ang inyong kapakanan," Secretary Gatchalian told evacuees in Barangay Rosario.
"Nagpapasalamat po tayo sa inyong mayor dahil napaka-organized at napakaganda po ng kalagayan ninyo dito sa evacuation centers. Nais po namin na makauwi po kayo kaagad sa inyong mga tahanan, but in the meantime, masaya po kami na masaya kayo dito," DILG Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs Rolando Puno added.
For his part, Mercado expressed his gratitude to the national government for the assistance delivered to residents of San Pedro City who were displaced due to "Enteng."
"Sana po ay huwag nating kalimutan ang mga taong tumutulong sa ating bayan dahil pagdating po ng panahon, may sakuna man o wala, sila pa rin ang tutulong sa ating bayan ng San Pedro," the city mayor said during Abalos' visit to the Rosario Evacuation Center on September 2.
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