Arroyo to visit 'Pepeng'-devastated areas

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will personally visit areas in northern Luzon devastated by floods brought by tropical depression "Pepeng" (Parma), Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Saturday. According to Remonde, Mrs. Arroyo was scheduled to attend a meeting of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council for Ilocos in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, one area hit hard by “Pepeng." "On the basis of these reports (from the RDCC), she will issue the necessary and appropriate directives," Remonde said on government-run dzRB radio. He said Mrs. Arroyo will then head for Pangasinan to inspect and supervise ongoing rescue and relief efforts in the area. Remonde hinted that Mrs. Arroyo may even head for Baguio City and Mountain Province to spend the weekend to similarly supervise relief efforts. “Knowing the president, posibleng umakyat sa Baguio at Mountain Province over the weekend (Knowing the president, she may go up to Baguio and Mountain Province this weekend)," he said. Also, he said Mrs. Arroyo ordered the Philippine Military Academy to mobilize its cadets to help in relief, rescue and evacuation efforts. He noted Mrs. Arroyo had instructed Friday the opening of the presidential mansions in Baguio City and in Paoay, Ilocos Norte for relief and evacuation efforts. In a separate GMANews.TV interview, Remonde said it was the first time in history that The Mansion, the chief executive's official summer residence in Baguio, will be opened to the public as a relief and evacuation site. "Nagpapakita lamang ito ng kung gaano ka-totoo at sinsero ang ating Pangulo (This only shows how genuine and sincere our President is)," Remonde said. On Saturday, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said landslides and floods caused by heavy rains and the release of water from dams in Northern Luzon pushed the death toll from tropical depression “Pepeng" (Parma) to 153. The NDCC’s 6 a.m. report said the 153 fatalities included 132 from landslides in Benguet, seven from La Union, and six from Pangasinan. Other fatalities included one from Ilocos Sur, two from Ifugao, one from Nueva Ecija, one from Quezon province, and two from Camarines Sur. Heavy rains from “Pepeng" had prompted Pantabangan, San Roque, Magat, and Binga dams to release water, effectively flooding several areas in northern Luzon. The NDCC said the floods forced the evacuation of at least 2,992 families or 13,763 people who are still staying in 51 evacuation centers in Ilocos region alone. “The figures may continue to go up as reports are still coming from (Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Cordillera)," NDCC said. At least 1,794 houses were destroyed while 18,469 were damaged. NDCC cited reports of power outages and interruptions in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera. “Government offices in Region 1 (Ilocos) are using gneerators," it said. It added communication landlines in Ilocos are down and only cell phones are usable. NDCC likewise reported cuts in national roads in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera. “Power failure is being experienced in some areas in Ilocos Norte due to damaged cable wires and fallen trees," it said. Similarly without power in Pangasnian are Sison, Pozzorubio, Bautista, San Fabian, and Bayambang towns. It noted power interruption in Santa, Magsingal, San Juan, Cabugao, Sinait, Lidlidda, and San Emilio towns in Ilocos Norte. La Union province remained without power and communications. At least 26 villages in Bacarra town in Ilocos Norte had “brownish" water. The dikes in Rosales, Pangasinan and the Bued River in Sison town were breached while the previously damaged seawall in Santa in Ilocos Sur was damaged further, with the damage worth an estimated P100 million. - GMANews.TV