Duterte declares ‘state of calamity’ in Luzon

MANILA: President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte confirmed he declared a “state of calamity” on the country’s main island of Luzon which has been ravaged by at at least three successive cyclones, the latest of which was typhoon Vamco (local name Ulysses) In his nationwide televised address aired late on Tuesday night, Duterte said he signed a proclamation for such declaration as recommended by members of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) during an emergency meeting.

Malacanang Palace explained the move would enable the government to freeze the prices especially of essential commodities like rice, corn, coffee, milk, canned goods, fish, cooking oil and cooking gas in the affected areas. The Palace added it would allow the government to impose heavy penalties like fines nd imprisonment on unscrupulous businessmen and retailers who tended to jack up their prices during times of natural disasters and calamities.

Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad, the NDRRMC chief, likewise pointed out that under the agency’s guidelines, the declaration “may hasten the request for and acceptance of international humanitarian assistance as recommended by the NDRRMC.”

Besides, local government units like cities and towns will have easier access to funds for relief and rehabilitation, according to Jalad.

In a separate but related development, Secretary Harry Roque, the presidential spokesman, disclosed the appointment of two senior cabinet officials to head jointly the “Build Back Beter Task Force” to hasten the recovery and rehabilitation of typhoon-ravaged areas.

Roque said they are Secretary Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Roque said that initially, Duterte named Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to head the task force, who, however, begged off from his new assignment.

Roque explained it in a media briefing thus:

“The task force is not only based on science but it also makes sense because when we talk of rehabilitation, we talk basically of roads and bridges and buildings destroyed which is the turf of the DPWH.”

“And you also talk about scientific reasons,” he added, “why we have typhoons and that is related to climate change and that is within the function of the DENR.”

At least two of the three successive typhoons — Molave (local name Quinta) and Goni (local name Rolly) — let a wide trail of death and destruction on the main island of Luzon particularly the Bicol Region and Southern Luzon.