Aurora: Lando knocks down towns still recovering from 2013 typhoon

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Lando (international codename Koppu) left much damage to infrastructure in the towns of Casiguran – where Lando made landfall – and Dinalungan in Aurora province. 

Both towns are still recovering after they were badly hit by Typhoon Labuyo (Utor) in 2013. 

Aside from bringing relief goods, Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said rebuilding houses and facilities must be a priority in these towns.

“In fact in 2013, we are still recovering from that [typhoon]. ‘Yung ibang infra, hindi pa rin naayos. ‘Yung ospital, partially damaged pa rin, partially repaired. And yet nasira ulit so I think yun talaga ang pangangailangan bukod sa pagkain – mga tirahan at mga facilities,” he said during a chance interview with reporters on Tuesday, October 20.

(In fact in 2013, we are still recovering from that typhoon. Some infrastructure are not yet repaired. The hospital is still partially damaged, partially repaired. And yet it was damaged again, so I think that is really the need there aside from food – rebuilding houses and facilities.)

WATCH: Sen Angara says aside from relief goods, infra priority in Aurora. "We are still recovering [from da… https://t.co/WtK0irTbFL

— Bea Cupin (@beacupin) October 20, 2015

Angara was with Liberal Party bets Manuel Roxas II and Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo on Tuesday, October 20, when the two visited Baler, Aurora, and Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, to help victims of Typhoon Lando.

The senator served as representative of the lone district of Aurora for 3 terms. 

Casiguran and Dinalungan were two of 3 towns placed under state of calamity when Typhoon Labuyo lashed the province of Aurora in 2013. Typhoon Lando did not spare both towns either.

“[Sa Casiguran], maraming sira. Sira yung ospital, sira yung mga simbahan, sira yung mga eskwelahan. I think talaga yun ang first order of the day: mga kabahayan ayusin nila, may makain ang mga tao,” Angara said. 

(In Casiguran, much was damaged. Hospitals, churches, and schools were all damaged. I think that’s really the first order of the day: to fix houses, to give people food to eat.)

Meanwhile, the town of Dilasag was not as badly hit by Typhoon Lando, but Angara said they are also monitoring it together with Casiguran and Dinalungan.

Lando was still a strong typhoon when it made landfall in Casiguran early morning on Sunday, October 18.

According to early responders on the ground, nearly 100% of houses and infrastructure were damaged in the town, and residents there are “shell-shocked” as “they haven’t experienced something like this since Typhoon Labuyo.”

Slow-moving Lando has since weakened into a tropical storm as of Tuesday afternoon, and it is expected to be outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Sunday, October 25. – with a report from Bea Cupin/Rappler.com