The Negros Oriental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, chaired by Gov. Roel Degamo, yesterday said no major damage to lives and properties were reported in the wake of “Ruby” in the province.

Provincial and local government officials in Negros Oriental prepositioned logistics and manpower resources, and implemented pre-disaster plans as early weather forecasts showed that the powerful and damaging storm will possibly cut across the Visayas.

Except for some persons who had sustained injuries, no typhoon-related deaths were reported to the Council, so far, PDRRMC executive officer Adrian Sedillo said.

He said the PDRRMC has not received, as of yesterday, any reports from the field of major damage to infrastructure, agriculture, businesses, livelihoods and even lives, even though thousands were evacuated to safety days ahead of Ruby’s expected landfall Saturday in the eastern provinces of Samar and Leyte.

The PDRRMC called off its Operations Command Center Sunday after PAG-ASA lifted Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 hoisted over Negros Oriental. However, the usual protocol of first responders to be on standby alert remained enforced, he said.

Classes for pre-school and elementary levels continued to be suspended yesterday to allow families, particularly those evacuated, to settle down and return to their normal lives, he added.

Degamo had declared the suspension ahead of PAG-ASA’s lifting of the storm warning signal over Negros Oriental.

Other schools, colleges and universities in Dumaguete City and other parts of Negros Oriental resumed classes, and thousands of families from Dumaguete, Guihulngan City, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Bindoy, Bais City, Amlan and Sibulan, among other towns and cities, also started returning to their homes yesterday.

In Guihulngan, a man was brought to the hospital after he was hit by a falling tree while on a motorcycle, a police report said.

In Dumaguete, more than a thousand families living along river banks and coastal communities were evacuated by the city government.

The City Social Welfare Office initial report showed that evacuees consisted of the following families/individuals from barangays Balugo, 11/42; Tinago, 28/114; Barangay 2, 3/12; Calindagan, 197/936; Cadawinonan, 57/266; Camanjac, 12/50; Junob, 35/160; Looc, 90/477; Mangnao, 13/48; and Tabuc-tubig, 15/63. Food packs were distributed to them.

Flights to Dumaguete and all forms of sea travel also resumed yesterday after they were cancelled in the weekend due to the typhoon.

Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete appealed for constant prayers amid the threat of the typhoon. He urged the continuous prayer of the Oratio Imperata, that was aired on radio and television stations, and after every mass in the different parishes in the diocese.

He said the Oratio is not just an ordinary but an obligatory prayer, with liturgical action by the bishop or “local ordinary” during a calamity or a special need.

Other churches had similar prayers, with the leaders of the ecumenical groups later asking people to continue praying for those who were to be affected by “Ruby” after weather forecasts showed it was veering away from Negros Oriental.

Degamo thanked the LGUs, government agencies, private sector, volunteers, different churches and the public for their cooperation and support in preparing for “Ruby”.

He said he is hopeful that the lessons learned from “Ruby” will continue and be improved in the future so that the province can attain its target of zero casualty during disasters, calamities and emergencies.*JFP

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