• Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug ‘Egay’ death toll climbs to 25; infra and farm damage reach ₧5 billion

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday reported that more than P5 billion worth of infrastructure projects and agricultural products have been damaged, while 25 people perished due to the combined effects of typhoon “Egay” and the prevailing southwest monsoon. NDRRMC said heavy rains, floods and landslides damaged at least P3,510,282,156.58 worth of government projects. These included roads, bridges, flood control projects, government

Erwin T. Tulfo takes seat as ACT-CIS party-list rep

THE House of Representatives on Monday welcomed former broadcast journalist and Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo after the new representative of the ACT-CIS party list formally took his oath before Speaker Martin G. Romualdez during the second regular session.

Tulfo took his oath after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced last July 20 that it had issued a certificate of proclamation to Tulfo as ACT-CIS’s third nominee.

Tulfo, who is the fourth nominee of the said party-list, replaced former Rep. Jeffrey Soriano (third nominee) who vacated his post last February 2023.

Tulfo, automatically replaced Soriano as provided under Section 16 of the Republic Act 7491.

It can be recalled that ACT-CIS won three House seats after gathering over 2.1 million votes during the May 2022 elections.

D espite the motion to disqualify Tulfo, the Comelec earlier ruled to allow Tulfo to become a replacement nominee for the ACT-CIS partylist in Congress.

The ruling by all of the Comelec affirmed an earlier decision by its Second Division. facilities, schools, private buildings and utility services.

The Comelec said it found “no compelling reason to reverse or to modify” the Second Division’s verdict.

Tulfo vowed that his representation would place a strong emphasis in advocating for the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable through empowering education and accessible health care.

On the other hand, crops, livestock, poultry and fisheries products also incurred an estimated loss of P1,965,320,443.03, while an additional P9, 977, 216.22 worth of vehicles, hospital equipment and medicines were damaged.

As a result, at least 106 cities and municipalities have already declared a state of calamity in order to grapple with the devastation of Egay and the torrential monsoon rain.

While the number of fatalities has swelled to 25, this is still being validated by the NDRRMC, which also said that about 52 people were injured and another 20 are still missing.

The NDRRMC said that at least 654,837 families or 2, 397,336 individuals in 4,111 barangays in 13 regions were affected by Egay, which forced the evacuation of 312,995 people, aside from 17,349 persons that were preemptively evacuated.

As of Monday, 321 cities and municipalities were still without power or water supply and with toppled communication lines.

At least 399 road sections and 32 bridges also remained flooded, while at least 35,855 houses were either damaged or totally destroyed.

The NDRRMC said the government has already provided P146,687,925.51 worth of assistance to affected communities