The state of national calamity will also grant wide latitude to national and local governments in utilising appropriate funds, including calamity and quick response funds, for rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts. — AFP/VNA Photo

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a one-year state of national calamity due to the destruction left by Typhoon Tino (international name: Kalmaegi) last week, upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Under Proclamation No. 155, the state of national calamity shall also be in preparation and in response to the upcoming disasters, including Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong), whose severe winds and heavy rainfall batter Luzon.

In a memorandum dated on Saturday, Defence Secretary Teodoro, who also chairs the NDRRMC, said the proclamation shall be interpreted “to encompass all natural calamities occurring within one year from November 7, 2025, unless sooner lifted by the President.”

The declaration will hasten rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including the facilitation of international humanitarian assistance.

It will also immediately authorise the imposition of a price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities in the entire country, granting of no-interest calamity loans, as well as prevent the overpricing, profiteering or hoarding of prime commodities, medicines, and petroleum products.

The state of national calamity will also grant wide latitude to national and local governments in utilizing appropriate funds, including calamity and quick response funds, for rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts.

President Marcos ordered all government agencies to “continuously undertake urgent and critical disaster response to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected.”

They were also directed to implement post-disaster recovery measures to restore normalcy, and improve facilities, livelihood, and living conditions of disaster-stricken communities.

National government agencies shall provide or augment the basic services and facilities of affected local government units, and facilitate private sector and international assistance, as may be necessary.

224 dead

Based on the latest report of the NDRRMC on Sunday, Tino left at least 224 people dead, of which 158 were from Cebu province – making it the deadliest tropical cyclone to hit the country this year.

The death toll could go higher with at least 109 still reported missing, and at least 526 were injured.

More than 3.5 million Filipinos were affected in eight regions of the country.

Running estimates of the cost of damage to infrastructure and agriculture are at P219 million.

Due to the continuous inclement weather across the country, the majority of the utility lines that were down by Tino remain unrestored.

Of the 165 cities and municipalities whose power was cut off, 104 (63 percent) still have no electricity. None of the 11 localities whose water supply was halted had been restored.

Meanwhile, of the 88 cities and towns whose communication lines had fallen, 58 (66 per cent) remain unreachable. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN