BANGUED, Abra (PIA) — Relief operations continue to reach isolated barangays in Abra after Super Typhoon ‘Egay’ battered the province last week.

A Black Hawk helicopter from the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army and one civilian chopper are being used to deliver Family Food Packs (FFPs) and other assistance to typhoon victims in isolated barangays in the municipalities of Boliney, Lacub, Lagayan, San Quintin, Malibcong, and Tubo. 

The relief operations using said air assets started on Sunday, July 30, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Abra to ensure that quick response and relief efforts are in place.

“So far, imax-maximize tayo ti air assets tayo bareng maki-cooperar kanyatayo ti tiempo. Although napigsa daydiay Black Hawk nga usaren tayo, no bumaba ti ulep ket ag-zero visibility ket haan da met makatayab [we are maximizing our air assets and hopefully, the weather cooperates. Although the Black Hawk is highly capable, if there are low clouds and it is zero visibility, they will not fly],” explained Incident Command System Commander and Provincial Administrator Michael Ronald Bersamira.

He shared that a total of 5,631 food packs will be airlifted to the isolated barangays.

The province is also expecting an additional 40,000 food pack relief assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to serve as buffer supply to cover the needs of those who were hit heavily by the recent calamity.

This will augment the FFPs given to the affected families which will only last for three days. Meanwhile, efforts are being doubled to open roads to bring assistance to barangays that are still inaccessible.

“The DPWH as well as the Provincial Engineering Office tayo and the different engineering office ti LGUs tayo ket pilitin da met nga ma-open dagitoy roads tayo. Dagidiay lang siguro nga nakaro ti perdi na ket marigatan tayo pay nga i-rehabilitate [The DPWH as well as our Provincial Engineering Office and the different engineering offices of our LGUs are trying their best to open our roads. It would be difficult yet to rehabilitate those that are heavily damaged],” Bersamira said.

He also shared that the Abra Electric Cooperative committed to rehabilitate power lines to energize most, if not all the municipalities of the province within a week for easier communication and coordination.

As of the latest report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, there are already 78,436 families or 256,545 individuals affected.

There were also four deaths, 93 injured individuals and one still missing.

A total of 15,799 partially and 638 totally damaged houses were reported and 38 road sections in the province are still unpassable.

The total cost estimate for identified sectors already reached more than P2.8 billion while damages to agriculture including rice, corn and high- value commercial crops reached more than P101.5 million.

 Infrastructures including classrooms also recorded damages amounting to more than P92.3 million.

Meanwhile, government assistance from LGUs, DSWD-CAR, Philippine Red Cross and PLGU already provided to the typhoon victims costs more than P23.8 million.(JJPM-PIA Abra)