Zeb destroyed Destroying or damaged Damaging 85,844 houses in the Philippines , and damage in the country was estimated at ₱5.375 billion ( 1998 Philippine pesos , $ 126 million U.S. dollars ) , the fifth-costliest at the time .

The event touched off a diplomatic crisis between China and Mexico , with the former demanding Request 30 million pesos in reparation .

More than 7,200 hectares ( 17,800 acres - 27 square miles ) of rice , corn and high-value crops costing Commerce_pay more than 118 million pesos ( $ 2.7 million ) were destroyed Destroying or damaged Damaging .

Subsequent flooding caused Causation damage amounting to 290.5 million pesos ( US $ 22.2 million ) .

On October 4 , 2000 , Ilocos Sur Governor Luis `` Chavit '' Singson , a longtime friend of President Joseph Estrada , went public with accusations that Estrada , his family and friends received millions of pesos from operations of the illegal numbers game , `` jueteng '' .