Where are we now?

Super Typhoon Yutu hit the CNMI on Oct. 25-26, 2018. More than a year after, here is a quick look at where we are now:

FEMA
$131 million: Federal funding for Public Assistance Projects
6,968: Approved applications for individual assistance, totaling $40.5 million
$97.4 million: Small Business Association loans
546: Temporary roofs installed
2,744: Tents installed and provided
66: Temporary classrooms installed
94: Volunteer Agencies Leading & Organizing Repairs projects completed
2,144: Concrete power poles
215,879: Cubic yards of typhoon debris removed
193: Shipping containers of household hazardous waste collected

Mariana Resort & Spa
The Department of Public Lands is maintaining the property and it is awaiting the appraisal value with improvements included, according to chief of staff Angel A. Demapan.
Because there is no other complete proposal from another company, DPL is continuing negotiations with the Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC for the long-term lease. Once negotiations are final, DPL is required by law to publicize a notice of intent to lease, Demapan said.
DPL has also reported that there are two developers interested in the property. They have toured the facility, but haven’t submitted an official or complete proposal.

Imperial Pacific Resort
Construction of six of a planned 15 VIP villas are now complete. Eric Poon, IPI vice president for construction, said the resort hotel’s soft opening date will soon be announced.
The east wing of the resort hotel has already been granted a conditional certificate of occupancy permit and a conditional fire permit.
Phase 1 of the resort hotel is expected to be completed today, Dec. 31, 2019.

Honest Profit
Completion of the Honest Profit International Ltd.’s $130-million, 312-room hotel project in San Antonio is targeted for completion by the end of 2020.
Super Typhoon Yutu damaged the project and the lack of CW-1 workers has slowed down the construction. At present, the contractor, Win Win Way Construction Co. Saipan Inc., is still looking for more workers as they don’t have enough manpower. At present, construction is ongoing in the interior of the buildings. Landscaping is the last phase of the project.

Pacific Islands Club
The Pacific Islands Club in San Antonio reopened almost two months after the destruction of Super Typhoon Yutu. Today, PIC’s repair/renovation is about 95% complete, according to PIC general manager Gloria Cavanagh.
PIC is looking at possibly doing small renovation of rooms in 2020.
In terms of occupancy, Cavanagh said the last couple of weeks and this coming week looks good, with room occupancy at 92%.
She said the last quarter of this year has been soft.

Coral Ocean Point Golf Resort
Hotel Association of the NMI president Gloria Cavanagh the reopening date of Coral Ocean Point Golf Resort in Koblerville has been moved from March 2020 to June 2020.
Cavanagh said the hotel probably sustained the worst damage and, much like the whole island, it may have to be rebuilt. Work is ongoing.

CPA

Commuter terminal
The commuter terminal sustained major damage inside and out and has been condemned. A new one will be built in the same location with a slightly larger footprint, with additional airline office space, larger holding room, and smaller concession space to accommodate the larger holding room and larger restrooms, and federal facilities. Design work is being negotiated at this time. Overall completion may be in 2021. A temporary commuter terminal for current operations has been built east of the existing building.

Passenger loading bridges
Replacement of loading bridges at Gates 2, 3, and 6 were bidded out before Yutu and was awarded in January 2019 to AIC Marianas. They have removed the bridges at Gates 2, 3, 6, and 5 and will soon remove the bridges at Gates 4 and Gate 1.
Gates 2, 3, and 6 should be completed by November 2020. Current project costs are $7.4 million.
CPA is also applying for an Economic Development Administration grant to replace Gates 1, 4, and 5.
The design for the additional three bridges is ongoing and will be completed by January 2020. The project will then be advertised for bidding and awarded by early 2020, with a completion date in 2021.

Roof leaks
CPA has solicited quotations for the repairs to the air-conditioning ducting and access ladders, which need to be repaired before the waterproofing can be replaced. The waterproofing was substantially damaged by the typhoon. Once the ducting and ladders have been repaired/replaced, the waterproofing and high roofs will be repaired.

Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Station
The airport fire station’s roof and interior and exterior were damaged. Roof repairs were completed in mid-2019 at a cost of $270,000.
Requests for proposals are being prepared for painting, and replacement of roll-up doors and acoustic ceiling tiles.

Perimeter fence replacement
CPA engineering is preparing a scope of work for repairs and replacement of the perimeter fence of the Saipan airport, including other facilities such as the generator building, the aircraft waste disposal, the overnight parking lot, the water pump house, ARFF, the Air Traffic Control Tower and the ARFF Training Facility.

Air Traffic Control Tower
Design work for renovations to the tower were already underway prior to Yutu but CPA had to take the typhoon damage into consideration. The damage is being incorporated into the renovations project, which is currently under design. Current design costs are $332,000.

ARFF Training Facility
CPA is coordinating with the project manager of the original facility construction to assist with scoping and coordination of specialized contractors to repair the training facility. A contractor will be hired for general repairs and the specialized contractors that were involved with the facility’s original construction will be contacted to provide quotations for those specialized systems.
CPA is also working in-house for immediate repairs to the facility to allow live burns to continue on site while the other non-critical repairs are being completed.

Rotating beacon replacement
CPA issued a request for proposals and awarded the replacement of the fallen beacon for the amount of $327,000. Completion is set for July 2020.

CUC
CUC’s Typhoon Yutu Restoration Plan focuses on hardening and strengthening of CUC’s overhead power distribution system on Saipan and Tinian. That includes the installation of at least 2,121 concrete poles to replace wooden poles. It also includes installing transformers, pole hardware and conductors. CUC will move forward with implementation of the restoration plan once funding becomes obligated and available for use.

Emergency repairs, overhauls
The CUC board has authorized the CUC management to release $6 million to repair and overhaul its power engines and to secure a temporary electric power supply. Aggreko has been hired to provide the temporary power for 90 days, at a cost of $1.52 million.

Tinian power and water supply
No power outage as power generation has 20 megawatts, but highest peak is only 2MW.
No water supply problem as well, with the Maui Well 1 is producing 28,544,400 gallons.

Rota power and water supply
No power outage and two generator units are on standby. No problem with water supply as the main water cave continues to produce 460 gallons of water per minute, while the Sinapalo reservoir is at a full level. Water well number 1 is on standby.

PSS

Schools on full-day sessions:
1. Kagman High School
2. Saipan Southern High School
3. Marianas High School
4. Garapan Elementary School
5. Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School
6. Da’Ok Academy (temporarily at Northern Marianas Trades Institute)
7. Hopwood Middle School (temporarily at Koblerville Elementary School; Hopwood campus closed)
8. Tinian Jr.-Sr. High School
9. Tinian Elementary School
10. Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr.-Sr. High School
11. Sinapalo Elementary School

Schools on half-day/double sessions (expected to be back to full sessions by early 2020)
1. Dandan Middle School (half-day sessions due to electrical issues)
2. Kagman Elementary School (temporarily at COVMS due to electrical issues)
3. Chacha Oceanview Middle School (combined with KagES, PM session)
4. Oleai Elementary School (double sessions)
5. William S. Reyes Elementary School (double sessions)
6. Francisco M. Sablan Middle School (double sessions)
7. Koblerville Elementary School (double sessions)

NMC
NMC Saipan: Fully operational (9 buildings for demolition, total of 24 classroom pods)
NMC Rota: Fully operational
NMC Tinian: Fully operational

CHCC
CHC: Fully operational
KCHC: Fully operational

(With reports from Erwin Encinares and Marc Venus)