WITH Benguet province under a state of calamity, officials are gearing up for the repair of the province's roads in a bid to restore the operations of vegetable producers and traders.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chairman and Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso, during the Kapihan sa Benguet on Thursday, September 6, said they will be spending P12 million to start the rehabilitation process.
"We will be utilizing on only about P12 million. The rest will be put on standby, just in case we will be needing funds in the last quarter of the year," he added.
For 2018, the province has allotted P55.25 million for calamity with the 70 percent utilized for prevention.
"In the declaration of state of calamity, we can provide assistance to our farmers and rehabilitation of roads. Some government institutions are ready to give out calamity loans. With the report going in, we can get fair share quick response fund of our national government for infrastructures on national roads and bridges," Pacalso said.
Some 305 families were affected by the almost month long monsoon rains in the highlands with five dead, eight injured, and one missing.
The governor pointed out the main reason for the declaration of the state of calamity is the irregular operations of delivery of goods including the highland vegetables of the province.
Close to P73 million worth of agricultural crops, farm facilities and green houses were also destroyed based on the damage assessment reported to Pacalso.
Benguet's capital town of La Trinidad is also reeling from the month long rains as it allotted P8 million calamity fund this year.
Mayor Romeo Salda said 70 percent of which has been utilized for mitigating measures and the remaining 30 percent for the calamity fund.
