MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has declared a year-long state of national calamity following the widespread destruction caused by Typhoon “Tino”, which left at least 224 people dead and hundreds more missing across the Visayas region.
The declaration, issued through Proclamation No. 1077, came upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) after reports of massive casualties and agricultural devastation, particularly in Cebu, where 158 deaths have been confirmed so far.
“All concerned agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government are hereby directed 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,” the proclamation stated.
It also directed agencies to “implement post-disaster recovery measures to ensure normalcy, and improve facilities, livelihood and living conditions of disaster-stricken communities.”
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported that 109 individuals remain missing, while agricultural losses have reached ₱159.14 million, affecting nearly 6,000 farmers and destroying 3,547 hectares of farmland. Production losses were estimated at 6,578 metric tons of crops.
To bolster relief and rehabilitation, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro announced that the Office of the President will release ₱760 million in cash assistance to local government units (LGUs) severely hit by the storm.
The proclamation likewise mandates tighter coordination between national agencies, LGUs, and the private sector to accelerate aid delivery.
“All departments and other concerned government agencies are also hereby directed to coordinate with, and provide or augment the basic services and facilities of affected local government units, and facilitate private sector and international assistance,” it said.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies were also ordered “to undertake all necessary measures to ensure peace and order in affected areas.”
The state of national calamity will remain in effect for one year, unless lifted earlier by the President./PN
