NDCC Report: Minor Flooding and Landslide

National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) 7 January 2009 report.

Situation Overview

• Governor Joseph C. Cua of Catanduanes Province DPWH 5 has confirmed that continuous rains which occured since last night triggered the occurrence of landslide and flooding along Circumferential Road in said province.
• Sections were affected last night were Brgy Sipi, Bato; Bato-Linao; Tilod, Baras and Banabaan in Caramoran; and two sections along Baras-Gimoto Road.

One electric post in Viga-Bagamanoc Road collapsed due to landslide.

No casualty were reported in relation to landslide incident.

Road Condition as of 3:00 PM today, 7 January 2009

• Virac-San Andres Road Section - passable until the area of Panabanaon as the chokepoint of the heavy landslide in the area.
• San Andres-Caramoran-Pandan Road Section - impassable due to the chokepoint at the Panabanaon area which is totally under debris of mud, gravel and vegetation.
• Virac-San Miguel Road Section - The Balonbong area had been blocked again by debris. This section has an intermittent occurence of landslides. Hence all types of vehicles cannot pass this section and commuters are now using Bato river to traverse.
• Virac-Bato-Baras Road Section - passable until Bagumbayan, Baras and with landslide at Tilod and Batolinao, all of Baras.
• Baras-Gigmoto Road Section - impassable due to landslide at Barangay Agban.
• Gigmoto-Viga Road Section - impassable due to landslide at Villa Aurora.
• Viga-Bagamanoc Road - now passable to tourist as clearing operations is ongoing.

Actions Taken

• The First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative (FICELCO) is currently undergoing repair of collapsed post in Viga - Bagamanoc. Electricity is still cut off until the post is fixed.
• DPWH is fast tracking the clearing operations in all landslide areas and monitoring all vital reports and situations including warning generations for all threats caused by the intermittent bad weather.

Issues and Concern
Catanduanes Province is now low on petroleum and LPG supplies due to the rough seas. There is an intermittent power outage in the entire island.

DOE Gives Go Signal For More Mini-Hydro Plants

Jan. 2--The energy department has issued four contracts for these projects to Sunwest Water and Electric Power Co., Inc. in Catanduanes and Antique that include the 8-megawatt Villasiga MHP in Brgy. Isogo, Bugasong, Antique and the 2.3-megawatt Solong MHP in San Miguel, Catanduanes. The contracts also cover the 1.5-megawatt Hitoma 1 MHP and the 1.6-megawatt Hitoma 2 MHP, both in Caramoran, Catanduanes.

These mini-hydro plants are expected to displace an equivalent of 43,000 barrels of fuel oil annually as well as reduce carbon dioxide emissions from displaced power generation from conventional plants.

"The mini-hydropower projects will contribute to our goal of achieving energy independence by reducing the dependency on imported fuel. More importantly, the projects will utilize a renewable form of energy, therefore, giving us benefits through the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions," Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said.

Besides the contracts for the said facilities, the DOE likewise awarded a contract to Gerphil Renewable Energy Inc. for a 0.11-megawatt mini-hydro project in Impasugong, Bukidnon.

"The initiative and participation of local investors in the power distribution sector is consistent with the current administration's thrust to tap the private sector to develop the country's indigenous energy resources and achieve energy independence," Reyes said.

Meanwhile, the energy department reported that it had issued reconnaissance permits to the proposed 2.6-megawatt Linao Cawayan (Lower Cascade) and 2-megawatt Linao (Upper Mindanao) MHP in Oriental Mindoro. Such permits for the 2.1-megawatt Gulamon-San Ramon MHP and the 8-megawatt Villasiga MHP in Antique, the 2.8-megawatt Kapipian MHP in Catanduanes and 10-megawatt Puyo River MHP in Agusan de Norte were also issued.

Other mini-hydro projects awarded with DOE permits are the 6.8-megawatt Langogan HP in Palawan, 3-megawatt Dupinga MHP in Nueva Ecija, 10-megawatt Kulaman MHP in Bukidnon, 8-megawatt Kibungan MHP in Benguet, 8-megawatt Catuiran MHP in Oriental Mindoro, 9.6-megawatt Tinoc 1-3 MHP in Ifugao, and 5.2-megawatt Cantakoy MHP in Bohol.

(Source: The Manila Times) By Euan Paulo C. Anonuevo, The Manila Times, Philippines

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