BUGALLON - President Macapagal-Arroyo visited Pangasinan anew last Wednesday in an apparent bid to placate local officials who have been longing to receive badly-needed funds for rehabilitation from the national government.

Typhoon Cosme three Saturdays ago battered western and central Pangasinan leaving damages amounting to over P4 billion pesos.

The President arrived by helicopter to barangay Portic of this second district town to lead in the distribution of GI sheets and Food for Work packs to calamity victims. She also handed P10,000 cash assistance to families of the four casualties from this town.

The President also inspected the house of spouse Rodrigo and Corazon Ayap now being rebuilt out of the government’s rehabilitation fund The couple’s old house, located across the barangay chapel and basketball court where the President was briefed by the regional disaster coordinating council on the progress of rehabilitation work, was totally damaged.

It was not immediately known however if the same help would be replicated for several hundreds or even thousands of victims whose dwellings were heavily damaged by the super howler

The national government allocated P500 million for the purchase of GI sheets and other construction materials for Pangasinan, Zambales and La Union. About 5,000 GI sheets were initially delivered for the province, some of which were distributed during the President’s visit.

She directed concerned agencies to deliver such materials every week for the next 10 weeks. Until the P500 million for the purpose is consumed. .

The government thru various government agencies also set aside some P100 million for the province’s rehabilitation and reconstruction program.

The Department of Education’ it was learned, allocated some P20 million to the two school divisions for the repair of damaged school buildings. The charity sweepstakes office alloted P5 million, while Pagcor gave P25 million for repair work on the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center facilities damaged by the typhoon. The health department set aside P11 million for the repair of damaged government hospitals.

The president also personally gave a check of P500,000 from Philippine Health Insurance (Philhealth) Corporation also for repair of damaged hospitals and classrooms.

But the rehab fund made available as of now appeared meager taken against the massive devastation. Damage to private properties alone could run to several billions. The estimate on damages to government infrastructures and agriculture already runs to some P6 billion.

The President, it will be recalled, directed the province in her first visit last May 23 to use any available calamity funds in the meantime that the national government was assessing the extent of the damage and sourcing out fund assistance.

A Malacanang functionary was overheard asking a regional official as they talked at the Bugallon presidential visit if Espino was already happy over the attention the province has been getting from the national government.

In the president’s second visit, Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. disclosed that P50 million worth of iron sheets have been delivered to the three provinces with Pangasinan getting the biggest share.

He said that roofing sheets and building materials will be delivered every week for 10 consecutive weeks to have a total of P500 million of materials.

The Governor submitted a three-inch thick report to the President on the damage of typhoon “Cosme” to Pangasinan, complete with photos on damages schools, hospitals, government buildings, agricultural properties and residential houses.

In his report, the governor said that to ensure a simultaneous opening of classes this year, the provincial government has authorized an initial amount of P200,000 to every municipality in Pangasinan to start repairs of public schools damaged by the typhoon. This was followed by a release of P50,000 each to some 478 barangays.

The provincial government also extended financial assistance worth P10,000 each to families of 39 typhoon fatalities and intensified its effort to repair nine of its 14 public hospitals to continue conducting basic health services to the p

Also joining the President in her latest visit to Pangasinan, aside from Ebdane and Duque, both with roots from Pangasinan, was Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro. (With reports from PIA and PIO)