- GILBERT BAYORAN
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed and issued Wednesday Proclamation Number 84 placing Western Visayas and three other regions in country under a state of calamity for six months in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Paeng.
The WV provinces, including Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras, are covered by Proclamation 84, which shall remain in force and effect unless earlier lifted by the President.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council 6 reported that 348,780 families, or 1,321,601 individuals in 2,249 barangays, were affected by Typhoon Paeng in Western Visayas.
Negros Occidental reported that damage to agricultural crops was estimated at P256.8 million.
A total of 7,233.11 hectares of agricultural crops, including rice and other high value crops, were damaged in 178 barangays of Negros Occidental, affecting 6,915 farmers, according to a data from the Office of the Provincial Agriculture that was submitted to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.
The Provincial Veterinary Office also reported initial livestock damage of P982,180, affecting 864 heads of animals, and damage to facility estimated at P30,000.
Total affected residents in Negros Occidental reached 82,929 individuals, as of Nov. 2.
In issuing the proclamation, Marcos said he heeded the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to declare a state of calamity after Paeng “caused the loss of lives, destruction of property, damage to agriculture and critical infrastructures, and disruption of means of livelihood and normal way of life of the populations in the affected areas”.
The declaration of a state of calamity would enable the government, as well as the private sector, to “hasten the rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts,” Marcos said.
Placing these affected regions under a state of calamity will also help “effectively control” the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, the proclamation added./GB
