The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 2 has donated over 78,000 board feet of lumber materials worth P4.6 million pesos to aid in the reconstruction of houses and schools ravaged by recent typhoons in Batanes and Cagayan.
A total of 4,791 pieces of wood lumber materials with a volume of 63,260.62 bd ft were provided to the Provincial Local Government of Batanes for the repair and construction of homes in the island municipalities of Basco, Itbayat, Ivana, Mahatao, Sabtang, and Uyugan which were heavily affected by Typhoon Julian.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) has received more than 1,000 pieces of lumber with a total volume of 14,879.92 bd ft. These materials are intended to facilitate the rehabilitation of schools in the Second District of Cagayan province that suffered extensive damage from Typhoon Marce.
According to Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan of DENR Region 2, the wood lumber materials were sourced from confiscated forest products with Orders of Finality under the custody of DENR in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya, as well as turned-over logs from mining companies in the province of Nueva Vizcaya.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga underscored the importance of a whole-of-government approach to disaster risk reduction, recovery, and reconstruction. She commended the collaborative efforts of DENR Region 2, the Office of Civil Defense, the Philippine Navy and Air Force, and the Philippine National Police.
“Despite the challenges posed by successive typhoons, we were able to mobilize our resources and work with our partners to provide the much-needed aid to typhoon victims,” the national environment chief said.
Director Bambalan added, “While the hauling and loading of the wood materials delivered to Batanes were facilitated and supervised by DENR personnel, this initiative would not have been possible without the assistance of the Police Mobile Force Company and Police Provincial Offices of Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan, Zambales, Nueva Ecija, SCTEX Patrol Crew, and the Bureau of Fire Protection in Subic.”
The DENR Region 2, through Director Bambalan, is set to formalize the Deed of Donation with Governor Marilou Cayco of Batanes and DepEd Regional Director Benjamin Paragas in separate ceremonies.#
