The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday recommended that the country be placed under a state of calamity due to the devastation brought by Severe Tropical Storm PaengPH.
During the briefing with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Raymundo Ferrer recommended to the President to declare a national state of calamity for a period of one year, unless earlier lifted.
A state of calamity would enable the government to tap additional funds for disaster relief and impose a price freeze on basic commodities.“I just have one question, itong final recommendation ninyo, national state of calamity yung what you are recommending, but there are areas that are not in the state of calamity,” he said.“Maraming regions are affected, that already justifies the state of calamity. Let me wait for your resolution and tignan ko.
Signal No. 3 was raised over 11 areas on Saturday afternoon as Paeng is expected to make landfall in the vicinity of San Juan, Batangas, PAGASA said in its 2 p.m. bulletin. —