Ulysses damage in Marikina to reach P30B

The damage of typhoon Ulysses in Marikina could reach P30 billion, the city government estimated.

According to Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, the massive flood brought by the typhoon damaged warehouses storing certain products, including its main merchandise, such as shoes and bag products.

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“Marikina is an urbanized city, ‘yung bahay dito magkakadikit (houses here are near each other). ‘Yung (The) missed economic opportunities, merchandise loss, products damaged by the typhoon would run I think up to P30 billion since we have warehouses in the city damaged by the typhoon storing the products and merchandise or retails and other purposes,” he said.

The mayor added around 40,000 houses submerged in floodwater, which is comparable to what they experienced during Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.

“You can just imagine the water as high as the second story of the house, so lahat ng gamit pati doon sa bahay nasira eh (all the materials in the house were destroyed),” said Teodoro.

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“We may be able to clear the roadways, restore the power, the water, telecom, utilities, public infrastructure, but the problem really is on the individual level, the economic hardship brought about by the damages of Typhoon Ulysses,” he added.

Also read: Marikina suspends classes for 1 month

Ulysses damage in Marikina to reach P30B

Teodoro said that while the flooding has already subsided, many of the city’s houses are still “buried” in thick layers of mud.

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“If you will only see the actual condition of our communities, there is really nothing to assess, but you will see houses buried in mud, knee-deep mud, and people cannot access their homes,” he said.

City local government also suspended classes in public and private schools due to the damage caused by Typhoon Ulysses.

“How can students attend classes even if they have learning modules and gadgets, but their houses are submerged in mud?” he said. “One-month suspension from this week, starting today (Nov. 16) and for the next four weeks.”

Marikina City was under a state of calamity since Friday due to the extent of Ulysses damages.