ILOILO – The municipality of Pototan was placed under a state of calamity due to widespread flooding brought by a low pressure area and inter-tropical convergence zone in the province last week.
On Friday, May 5, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) headed by Vice Mayor Tomas Peñaflorida conducted a special session, with Resolution No. 04-2023 endorsing to the SB the declaration of the municipality under a state of calamity.
“During the rapid damage assessment and need analysis conducted by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee, more than two barangays met the criteria or guidelines for the declaration of a state of calamity based on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) Memorandum Order No. 60 series of 2018 and Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010,” said Peñaflorida.
Under the NDRRMC Memorandum Order No. 60, here are the criteria for the declaration of a state of calamity:
* at least 15 percent of the forecasted affected population based on science-based projections needs emergency assistance;
* at least 30 percent of the means of livelihood in the agricultural, business and industrial sectors are affected;
* damage to critical and lifeline infrastructure/facilities such as major roads and bridges, power stations, potable water supply systems, and telecommunication facilities;
* widespread destruction of fishponds, crops, poultry and livestock
* disruption of lifelines such as food chains, electricity, potable water systems, other transport systems, communication systems, access to health service, and other related systems that cannot be restored within one week, or in the case of highly urbanized areas where restoration of the above lifelines cannot be done within twenty-four hours; and
* significant degradation of the environment and natural resources based on the recommendations of government agencies.
A total of 1,861 families, or 8,395 persons, from nine barangays in Pototan were affected by the flood, and 222 families, or 857 persons, were evacuated, data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) showed.
Pototan local government also recorded 40 damaged houses – 12 totally and 28 partially.
In agriculture, 28 hectares of rice fields were flooded, which cost P859,950; corn – 31 hectares damaged or P638,000; high-value crops – 16 hectares or P1,169,000; and poultry fowls – 272 heads.
Pototan is the catch basin of two major river systems in the province – the Jalaur and Suage rivers, making it prone to serious flooding.
“Sang May 5 nag-declare sila [Pototan] sang state of calamity because sang damage sa flood nga effect sang LPA and ITZC,” said PDRRMO chief, Dr. Jerry Bionat, in an interview with Panay News yesteray.
Assistance for Pototan
Bionat said he will present the damage report to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., concurrent chairperson of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), and discuss the assistance to be extended to the town.
“May ara kita mismo sini budget sa aton opisina under the provincial calamity fund nga sa diin ang mga local government units nga ma-declare under the state of calamity puede matagaan sang financial assistance nga magamit nila, especially sa relief operations or rehabilitation,” said Bionat.
However, Bionat said Pototan and Passi City could also utilize the five percent calamity fund to extend assistance to their affected constituents./PN
