Apayao town declares state of calamity
The local legislative body decided to declare such based on the assessment of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
BAGUIO CITY — Due to landslides, flash floods and swelling of the river, the municipal council of Calanasan, Apayao, in a special session, passed a resolution declaring the town in a state of calamity in order to utilize funds intended for such in the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.
Vice Mayor Shamir Bulut and the members of the council collectively passed Resolution 97 series of 2019 declaring the whole municipality under a state of calamity as residents of the town’s 20 barangays struggle with the effects of soil erosions, floods caused by the swelling of the Apayao River due to non-stop heavy downpour.
The local legislative body decided to declare such based on the assessment of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) on the damages on infrastructures and agriculture in the municipality.
A personnel of the Philippine
National Police (PNP) Apayao and a Provincial Board Member were killed after being hit by a landslide in the evening of 7 November 7 at Barangay Dibagat, Kabugao, Apayao.
The victims were identified as Police Cpl. Rommel Gumidam and Apayao Sangguniang Panlalawigan Board Member Butz Mangalao. They were said to be heading to the municipality of Calanasan, Apayao.
Because of the landslides along the way, Gumidam and Mangalao decided not to proceed and instead they took temporary shelter in a house.
“Whereas, the occurrence of landslides, flash floods, and rising of the river’s level brought by the heavy rains in the province recently has severely devastated this municipality which estimated cost of damages on infrastructures and agriculture, as this date as per assessment of the LDRRMC,” stated in the resolution. The council noted that one among the most pressing problem is the isolation of the whole municipality due to the closure of all road access for a week that disrupted transportation, disruption of daily economic activities and the threats of more landslides because of the rain water-soaked soils.
The councilors agreed to pass such resolution to authorize the utilization of the stand by fund under the Quick
Response Fund (QRF) of the LDRRMC Fund. This is to maximize the said fund to start the restoration and rehabilitation of damaged infrastructures in the municipality and to provide aid to the constituents especially the farmers whose agricultural livelihoods were destroyed.
On 6 November, Apayao Governor Eleanor Bulut-Begtang as chair of the Provincial DRRMC ordered the conduct of pre-emptive and forced evacuation of families and individuals who are in identified risk areas in different municipalities. Flash floods also submerged parts of Luna and Kabugao municipalities of the province.