Earthquake damage at P414M; Ilocos infra knockout hit the hardest

Several buildings were damaged in the town of Banguid after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the city of Abra on July 27.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Sunday that the damage to infrastructure from last week’s earthquake of magnitude 7 amounted to 414.2 million pesos.

In its report, NDRRMC said that most of the damage was recorded in the Ilocos region with 393.1 million pesos, followed by the Cordillera administrative region with 12.5 million pesos.

The city of Pangasinan has suffered the most damage so far with 255 million pesos for roads and bridges such as the Pangasinan – Nueva Ecija – Rodriguez Road and the Agbayani Bridge. All national roads and bridges were impassable.

Ilocos Sur sustains an estimated 52.9 million damage to roads, bridges, and government buildings, although all national roads and bridges are still available.

About 39.7 million pesos of damages were recorded on the Ilocos Norte-Apayao and other roads, but they were impassable. The National Commission for Natural Disaster Reduction in the La Union region said the damage to roads and bridges amounted to 44.9 million pesos.

In the Central African Republic, there was an estimated damage of 12.5 million pesos, with 10 million pounds in Abra buildings and roads. In the Cagayan Valley region, there was an estimated loss of 8.5 million pesos, of which 8.3 million pounds was in Quirino County.

The Ministry of Agriculture reported losses of 13.9 million pesos in infrastructure, machinery and equipment, while the National Irrigation Administration reported 4.5 million pesos in damages.

The commission said a total of 21,890 homes were damaged in NDRRMC.

Deaths and injuries

The death toll remained at 10, while the number of wounded also rose to 375, of whom 355 were from the Central African Republic.

The commission said the quake displaced some 34,291 people, with more than 3,800 people currently in 42 evacuation centers.

27 districts were hit by a state of disaster after Wednesday’s earthquake.

Electricity was fully restored in 48 affected cities and municipalities, while water supplies were restored at 75 percent in four affected municipalities and cities, the National Commission for Natural Disaster Reduction reported.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Sunday that it has recorded 1,786 aftershocks ranging from 1.4 to 5.0 on the Richter scale since Wednesday, of which 586 were planned or monitored by at least three monitoring stations.

Preserve cultural property

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said on Sunday that the government may use a special fund dedicated to “cultural property” to finance the repair of historic monuments and structures destroyed by the earthquake.

Among the centuries-old structures that were partially destroyed are the Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandra and the Mausoleum of San Lorenzo Ruiz, both in the province of Abra, and the Vigan Cathedral and the historic Pantai Bell Tower in the city of Vigan, Ilocos Sur province.

Heritage homes, including the famous Sequoia House in Vigan, were also not spared the powerful earthquake.

“These historical sites are more than just landmarks and attractions, but form part of the rich culture and heritage of our country,” Angara said in a statement.

“These structures give us a glimpse into the country’s past and should be preserved for future generations,” he noted.

The senator said rehabilitation of damaged buildings and churches should include improvements to bring these structures into compliance with building code.

“There should be no complacency in efforts to provide assistance to disaster-affected families, including rebuilding their homes, so that they can return to their normal lives as soon as possible,” he added.

According to the senator, the government should access the endowment fund created under Republican Act 10066, or the National Cultural Heritage Act, which he originally enacted, to fund restoration and rehabilitation programs.

Angara said the National Endowment for Culture and the Arts, which is kept in a special account of the Treasury Office and managed by the National Committee for Culture and Arts, should be “used exclusively to implement culture and arts programs and projects.”

He noted that the law stipulated that “all cultural property declared as Important Cultural Property may also receive government funding for its protection, preservation and restoration.”

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