Typhoon ‘Cosme’ victims receiveemergency assistance in Zambales

STA. CRUZ, Zambales: The province of Zambales which was recently ravaged by Typhoon Cosme is receiving assistance not only from the national government but also from other local government units.
On Friday President Gloria Arroyo who made an ocular inspection in Pangasinan and this province ordered the release of P500 million for emergency assistance for both provinces.
During her inspection in the town of Sta. Cruz, Gov. Enrique Garcia of Bataan donated P500,000 worth of GI sheet while Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza pledged a million worth of construction materials.
Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Corp., also donated 300 sacks of rice for families affected by Cosme in Sta. Cruz and some 2,000 bags of cement for the repair of school buildings and other infrastructures.
Gov. Amor Deloso of Zambales said that DMCI, a mining firm based in Zambales donated P500, 000 cash for the victims.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council estimates that P3.4- billion worth of agricultural and infrastructure were destroyed by Cosme while leaving 37 people dead and displacing more than 205,000 families in 1,106 barangay, 59 municipalities and seven cities in Zambales, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan and Iloilo.
The bulk of the damages according to NDCC were from agriculture estimated at P3.3 billion while the rest were from damages to school and other infrastructure.
Deloso said that the provincial government is trying to rebuild the schools in time for the June 14 classes.