The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Monday it recommended the declaration of a State of Calamity in the entire Luzon, which was battered by successive typhoons.
The NDRRMC recommendation is with Malacanang, awaiting approval, said its Executive Director, Ricardo Jalad. Super Typhoon Rolly whipped the Bicol Region at the start of the month, followed by Typhoon Ulysses, which spawned unprecedented floods in Cagayan.
A State of Calamity will allow local government officials to use their emergency funds and will empower the Department of Trade and Industry to freeze the prices of basic goods, Jalad said.
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Jalad described the typhoon damage as "massive," as the NDRRMC tallied 67 deaths so far. Damage to agriculture and infrastructure was estimated at P2.6 billion.
President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend said he would form a disaster response task force to speed up the delivery of aid.
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