President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. turned down on Monday the recommendation to put the entire country under a state of calamity for a year due to the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
In a short press briefing in Noveleta, Cavite, Marcos Jr. said that there is no need to declare a nationwide state of emergency, citing that the damages of the storm were “highly-localized”.
“I don’t think it’s necessary. I came to that conclusion in consultation with DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). Sabi hindi naman kasi extensive, very highly localized ang damage,” Marcos Jr. told the reporters.
“We are talking about the east coast Quezon, Cavite, and Maguindanao… I think we will focus better if we stay with the calamity status as we have now,” he added.
This remark happened a day after the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management had submitted a resolution recommending a declaration of a national state of calamity.
During a state of calamity, the government is allowed to access emergency funds specified for disaster relief, as well as to freeze the prizes of goods.
Thumbnail photo from RTVM
