La Union eyes recovery amid ‘Emong’ onslaught

La Union eyes recovery amid ‘Emong’ onslaught | Daily Tribune

La Union is intensifying its recovery efforts following the devastation wrought by typhoon “Emong,” which caused extensive damage to farmlands, infrastructure and communication lines.

Early estimates from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) indicate over 600 hectares of submerged farmland, resulting in agricultural losses exceeding P17.2 million.

Governor Mario Eduardo Ortega, in an exclusive interview, stated the provincial government activated disaster response protocols even before Emong’s landfall. Preparations began during the formation of tropical depression “Dante,” involving emergency meetings and mobilization of the provincial rescue group.

This team included personnel from the Philippine National Police, Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Red Cross and municipal disaster officials. Assets and equipment were prepositioned, and evacuation centers in flood-prone areas were prepared in advance.

“We already knew where the perennial problem areas are,” Ortega said. “That’s why we started preparing evacuation centers and prepositioning supplies early on. But as with any typhoon, there are always things that come up — no matter how prepared you are.”

According to Ortega, several irrigation systems were already threatened by prolonged monsoon rains before “Emong” struck. Minor canals and earthen dikes gave way, exacerbating flood conditions in rural barangays. While local officials and farmers initiated temporary fixes, these now require long-term engineering rehabilitation.

Clearing operations are ongoing, but power and signal restoration remain challenging, especially in remote areas. Restoration efforts have prioritized national highways to reconnect hospitals and critical government infrastructure. However, inner barangays remain cut off, with fallen electric poles and blocked roads delaying full rehabilitation.

Ortega estimated that complete restoration could take at least a week, assuming continuous, round-the-clock work.

“There’s a great magnitude of damage. Poles are down, some roads are still blocked, and signal remains intermittent,” he said. “We’re focusing on opening at least one-way traffic on key roads just to keep areas from being completely cut off.”

With telecommunications hampered, Ortega revealed the provincial government is reassessing its emergency communication systems. The recent storm exposed vulnerabilities in the province’s reliance on cellular networks and internet-based channels.

To mitigate future disruptions, the governor is considering a return to traditional communication tools, including VHF (Very High Frequency) radios and analog systems, which have proven more resilient during extreme weather events.

“Maybe it’s time to revisit the basics — our VHF radios, analog setups, and even point-to-point traditional channels,” he said. “These tools don’t depend on towers or networks that collapse during typhoons.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported Monday that two weather disturbances outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, bringing rains, particularly across Luzon.

Tropical cyclone “Co-May” (formerly “Emong”) remained outside PAR as of Monday afternoon, located 920 kilometers northeast of extreme northern Luzon with sustained winds of 75 km per hour (km/h) near its center.

Typhoon “Krosa,” also outside PAR, was last located 2,385 km east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h near its center.

The cyclone-enhanced habagat is expected to bring occasional rains to the Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Abra, Benguet, Zambales and Bataan. PAGASA warned that floods or landslides are possible due to moderate to heavy rains in these areas.