PRESIDENT Duterte has declared state of calamity in Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon) and Cordillera Administrative Region due to the “widespread destruction, substantial damage and deaths” brought by Typhoon Ompong (international code name Mangkhut).
Signed on September 25, Presidential Proclamation 593 was issued after the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recommended the declaration of a state of calamity in those regions.
Under Section 6 of Republic Act 7581 or The Price Act, prices of basic necessities in an area under state of calamity shall be frozen at their prevailing price, unless otherwise declared by the President.
“The state of calamity shall remain in force and effect until lifted by the President,” the proclamation read.
The proclamation also stated that the declaration of state of calamity “will hasten the rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including any international humanitarian assistance.”
Also, the declaration will also provide basis for price-control measures, which can mitigate the economic impact to affected populations and effectively provide the national government, as well as the local government units, ample latitude in the utilization of funds for recovery and rehabilitation efforts and delivery of basic needs and services.
All departments and other concerned government agencies are hereby directed to implement and execute rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation work and are also directed to coordinate with, and provide or augment the basic services and facilities of, affected local government units.
On Monday Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said farm sector damage caused by Ompong has reached P26.7 billion, the highest since Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan) wrought havoc in 2013 and caused P35 billion in production losses.
The Department of Agriculture also reported that Region 2 suffered the most production losses at P13.944 billion, with about 786,240 metric tons of output damaged and 303,827 farmers affected.
Meanwhile, infrastructure damage caused by Typhoon Ompong has already reached P6.948 billion, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Image credits: Bernard Testa