Robredo visits quake-stricken Surigao

By Ben Serrano,
Correspondent

SURIGAO City — Vice President Ma. Leonor Robredo arrived early morning Friday here and did a quick visit and inspection of the damaged Anao-aon Bridge in San Francisco, Agusan del Norte.

Upon her arrival here, Vice President Robredo turned over some P1 million worth of food packs, relief goods, corrugated roofs and other construction materials to the provincial and city disaster reduction councils for help, assistance to quake survivors in the province.

Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Forcadilla Matugas, for her part, gave Robredo a short briefing on the damages of the 6.7-magnitude earthquake which jolted the province last week.

Robredo begged off interviews from media as she only had a short visit. Later, however, together with Governor Matugas and other provincial and city officials gave an informal press briefing.

During the informal briefing, Matugas told Robredo they would request the Department of Public Works and Highways to make Anao-aon Bridge a historial marker –– that once a 6.7 magnitude earthquake once hit the province.

The officials said the rehabilitation of the damaged bridge will cost the government more than building a new one which is cost effective, durable, with modern design, and quakeesilient.

Also during informal press briefing at the Surigao del Norte Provincial Convention Center which was turned into a Quick Response Operations Center of the province and the City of Surigao, Matugas explained to media that she will be calling a meeting with the regional director of the DPWH-Caraga to present her suggestion and the recommendations of other provincial officials.

Matugas said the new bridge in Anao-aon will be built under series of seismic testings to ensure its safety to public and passing motorists.

“It is within the fault line according to Philvolcs. In fact cracks in lands surrounding it, is evident and present so with a new bridge that is quake resilient besides the old Anao-aon will serve as history marker for all of us. This will also be made as  some of Historical Park where Surigaonons and other people can visit,” Matugas said.

As of last Friday, situational report on total damaged schools by the provicince reported that there is rise of number of public schools damaged by the quake, it now recorded 61 damaged public schools of the province and City of Surigao City from 52 buildings.

The total amount of damages in both infrastructures has now reached to around P720 million.