6 regions placed under state of calamity
By Laureen M. Ynot
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte declared on Tuesday, December 21, state of calamity in at least seven regions severely affected by Typhoon Odette (Rai).
In Proclamation 1267 he signed Tuesday, Duterte said Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Caraga will be under state of calamity for one year effective immediately.
Duterte announced the declaration during his Talk to the People Address Tuesday night, December 21. It was reiterated during a press briefing Wednesday morning, December 22, by Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles.
Nograles said Wednesday that it was the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) who recommended the state of calamity declaration after seeing the massive devastation caused by Typhoon Odette in those seven regions.
He said the declaration will hasten the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including any international humanitarian assistance, in the affected areas.
It will also be effective mechanism to control the prices of goods and commodities in the areas badly affected by Odette, and “afford the national and local government units (LGUs) ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds for rescue relief, and rehabilitation and continuation of basic services.”
He said Duterte has directed all department and government agencies to execute the rescue, relief and rehabilitation in the areas affected by the typhoon.
The concerned agencies were also directed to coordinate with and provide or augment the basic services of the affected LGUs.
Duterte, in the same proclamation, also ordered law enforcement units, with support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to undertake all necessary measures to make sure that peace and order in maintained.
The NDRRMC said Tuesday, December 21, that Typhoon Odette, which lashed Visayas and Mindanao areas on December 16, has so far killed 156 people, while 37 remained missing and 275 were injured.
The Department of Public Works and Highways also reported P585.5 million worth of damage to infrastructure.
