The Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution on Tuesday declaring the entire province of Palawan under a state of calamity after a week of heavy rains cause by the enhanced southwest monsoon affected several municipalities and displaced thousands of families.
The declaration was based on the recommendation made by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) through a resolution adopted during their meeting on Monday, September 23.
Board Member Ryan Maminta said the council made the recommendation after conducting a Rapid Disaster Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) in response to the week-long torrential rains.
“The PDRRMC resolved to pass a recommendation to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for the declaration of a state of calamity due to the effects of the southwest monsoon (habagat), which was enhanced by tropical cyclones Ferdie, Gener, Helen, and Igme, occurring from September 12-19,” Maminta said.
Prior to the provincial declaration, the towns of San Vicente, Roxas, Taytay, and Dumaran had already declared a state of calamity, with Aborlan and Quezon expected to follow, Maminta added.
The council, in its resolution, stated that reports submitted by various sectors after the RDANA indicated severe damage to crops, properties, public infrastructure, and a significant number of deaths.
The declaration also allowed the release of a ₱20 million Quick Response Fund from the ₱68,688,086 allotted for the calendar year 2024 “to expedite all appropriate response, including the processing and release of calamity funds to mitigate the impact of the said phenomenon.”
The latest summary report released by the PDRRMC on September 22 stated that a total of 34,938 families (169,545 individuals) were severely affected by the southwest monsoon and were housed in evacuation centers in the affected municipalities.
A total of 182 houses were affected, with 28 totally damaged. Additionally, 98 bancas were damaged, 15 of them beyond repair.
A total of 111 school buildings, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure were also destroyed, though no specific amount of damage was provided in the report.
Six tourism establishments in El Nido town reported damages amounting to ₱380,600.
A total of 131 fisherfolk communities were also affected, incurring losses amounting to ₱3,624,250.
The agriculture sector was the hardest hit, with 37,792 farmers affected and 10,936.79 hectares of farmlands damaged, resulting in losses amounting to ₱42,247,536.
A total of ₱4,741,350 worth of aquaculture products were lost in the town of Quezon, while eight municipalities reported the loss of 553 heads of livestock worth ₱933,320.
The number of fatalities reached nine, with four each from the towns of Balabac and Rizal, and one in Roxas. Three individuals were also injured in Rizal, while five in Balabac remain missing.
