‘Rolly' Leaves ₱5.76-B Damage To Public Infra

Super-typhoon “Rolly’s” damage to roads, bridges, flood-control structures, and public buildings has already reached P5.756 billion, while number of fatalities rose to 24 as four more deaths were reported in Bicol region and two others in Calabarzon

- Betheena Unite, Chito A. Chavez, Aaron B. Recuenco, And Martin A. Sadongdong

Super-typhoon “Rolly’s” dam-age to roads, bridges, flood-control structures, and public buildings has already reached P5.756 billion, while number of fatalities rose to 24 as four more deaths were reported in Bicol region and two others in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) as of Tuesday.

“As expected, our assessment teams identified majority of the destruction in the Bicol Region amounting to P4.621 billion,” Public Works and Highway Secretary Mark Villar said.

Damage to roads reached P1.515 billion while damage to flood-control structures is at P2.036 billion.

Damage to bridges and public buildings, including 226 schools, reached P458.2 million and P367.25 million, respectively. Other infrastructure damage costs P1.379 billion.

The Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH)-Bicol Region has also reported the closed roads in the island province of Catanduanes which was previously isolated and unreachable due to province-wide power outage and unavailable telecommunication signal since the landfall of Super-typhoon Rolly.

Impassable roads in Catanduanes include the intermittent sections of the Catanduanes Circumferential Road due to landslides and fallen trees.

Affected sections are in Barangay Balongbong, Bato; Barangay Libod, Pandan; Barangay Putting Baybay, San Andres; and Barangay Francia, Virac to Barangay Balongbong, Bato; Jct. Bato–Baras Road. The Junction Bato-Baras Road and Baras-Gigmoto-Viga Road was also closed due to fallen electrical posts.