Quezon City--- The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) has urgently made representation with the Office of the President and other national' government agencies for funding and other material support for the immediate rehabilitation and restoration of water supply in the Bicol Region.

This was learned recently from LWUA Administrator Lorenzo H. Jamora following the damage assessment report submitted by the LWUA Bicol Task Force he formed in the aftermath of the destruction wrought by Typhoon Reming showing a total of 22 water districts in Bicol incurred damages costing more than P80 million.

Jamora himself led a simple program last week at the LWUA multipurpose hall in Balara wherein the agency turned over cash and material donations amounting to more than PSOO,OOO to the typhoon victims in Bicol including the entire budget supposedly allotted for the holding of the agency's traditional Christmas program.

II We have decided to forgo our traditional 'agency Christmas program and donate the entire budget allotted for such activity to the typhoon victims in the Bicol region as our humble contribution to the immediate relief and rehabilitation efforts being undertaken by both the government and private sectors", Jamora said adding agency employees also made individual voluntary contributions in cash and in kind.

Jamora said LWUA shall prioritize the repair and rehabilitation of three water districts in Albay which were badly damaged by the flood and mudflow spawned by Typhoon Reming, namely Darag'a, Legazpi City and Camalig which incurred a combined damage costing P40.2 million. Also in the first order of priority for rehabilitation -are the water districts of Paracale in Camarines Norte and Pasacao, Bato and Sipocot in Camarines Sur.

Other water districts that were damaged by the typhoon include Ligao City, Tabaco City and Bacacay in Albay; Metro Naga, Pili, Iriga City, Libmanan, Baao, Ragay, Del Gallego, Calabanga, Balatan and Nabua in Camarines Sur; and Camarines Norte Metro, and Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte.

Damages include floods and mudflows covering spring and river sources, washed-out river crossings, broken transmission and distribution pipelines as well as service connections and pumping stations rendered inoperational due to electro-mechanical breakdown.
c December 20 , 2006