Electricity may be fully restored in provinces affected by typhoon “Juan" by Sunday, President Benigno Aquino III said Thursday.
In a media briefing in Isabela—one of the hardest-hit provinces—Aquino said the government needs to install temporary towers to replace at least 12 transmission towers that were destroyed by the typhoon in northern Luzon.
"We are hoping by Sunday it would be completed. The LGUs [local government units] have been very helpful in securing the rights of way," said the president.
Aquino said around 200 personnel are expected to arrive in affected areas within the day to set up the temporary towers, adding that they were just being held up by traffic.
More than 670,000 people were affected by the typhoon in Isabela alone, while over 800,000 were affected in the whole of Region II.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Soliman said around P11 million in calamity funds have been spent so far for food packages, with the sources broken down as follows: P3.2 million from the regional DSWD in Region II, P4.3 million from Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and P3.5 million from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Aquino said the country still has enough calamity funds to last until the end of the year even though more storms are expected because the government has realigned P1.75 billion in unused funds to calamity funds. (See: Aquino reallocates P1.75-B to calamity funds)
"Funds are available, I just reminded them to make sure that we're able to download all of these funds," Aquino said.
The president said LGUs and the Department of Trade and Industry are also monitoring prices to make sure traders don't impose unnecessary hikes in the typhoon's aftermath.—Jam L. Sisante/JV
