SAN JOSE, Antique – Cut-off from the rest of Panay Island after Tropical Storm “Paeng” struck, Antique is reeling from, among others, a tightness in the supply of fuel.
“We are resorting to rationing our gasoline,” said Gov. Rhodora Cadiao yesterday during a briefing with a team of visiting Cabinet secretaries.
Senior Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr., the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director and National Defense officer-in-charge, assured Antiqueños of government assistance.
“We have instructed our businessmen (in the refueling business) to give only P500 (worth of fuel) per car,” Cadiao told Faustino and secretaries Benjamin Abalos of the Interior and Local Government, Manuel Bonoan of Public Works and Highways, Social Welfare undersecretary Allan Tanjusay, and Office of Civil Defense administrator, Undersecretary Raymundo Ferrer.
The fuel rationing, however, appeared to have rattled Antiqueños. Some have started stockpiling, or panic-buying.
“Ubusay na gid gasoline diri. Grabe na gid. Ginpangsudlan namon mga containers just in case,” said a resident of the capital town of San Jose who asked not to be named.
Cadiao acknowledged this adverse effect of the gasoline rationing.
“(This) has created panic. We hope we can rectify that already,” said the governor.
She urged the visiting Cabinet secretaries not to let Antique fall behind in assistance from the national government.
Cadiao likened Antique to an isolated island after “Paeng” battered it with torrential rains that caused flashfloods which in turn destroyed key bridges.
“We are cut-off in the north by the Paliwan River (bridge), which is a major infrastructure linking the north and south of our province,” according to the governor.
“We are also cut-off from Iloilo, which is a vital commerce (partner) of our province. We get most of our kalakal (merchandise) from Iloilo,” explained Cadiao.
Oyungan Bridge in Miag-ao, Iloilo collapsed, making it difficult if not impossible for vehicles from Antique to proceed to Iloilo City.
Cadiao also said hospitals in Antique are in need of oxygen which they source from Iloilo.
The municipalities of Tibiao, Lauan, Patnongon, and Sebaste are all under a state of calamity while the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) Council will convene to declare the same in the entire province, according to Antique PDRRM Officer Broderick Train.
As of Tuesday, Nov. 1, the PDRRM counted 43,853 families affected in 500 barangays.
Antique also recorded 10 storm casualties but three more persons remained missing as of yesterday.
“The support of the national government ay nandito po nakatutok sa inyo,” Faustino told Cadiao.
For his part, Bonoan said they would be constructing a temporary cut-off channel to connect the municipalities of Bugasong and Lauan-an and to resume mobility after the collapse of the Paliwan Bridge, which links the two towns.
Coordination is also being done to airlift water purification systems from Manila and for the Philippine Navy to deploy a ship to the province to bring in more essential goods, water and other needs, especially for the residents of Maningning, Batbatan, and Mararison, all island barangays in the municipality of Culasi which were isolated at the height of “Paeng’s” onslaught due to strong and turbulent waves.
The team of Cabinet secretaries assessed Antique and sought a briefing on the extent of the storm’s damage.
Fatustino said the Department of Health has been instructed to provide hygiene kits and medicines while the Department of Social Welfare and Development would be sending more food and non-food items.
Families with partially damaged houses will be provided with assistance while those whose houses were totally destroyed will be reassessed if they needed to be relocated; they would be referred to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
