MANILA, Philippines — A total of 88 areas in the Philippines have been placed under a state of calamity following the impact of the southwest monsoon or habagat and recent typhoons Luis and Maymay, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
In an update issued Friday, the OCD identified the following areas in Luzon as having declared a state of calamity:
- Pangasinan: Dagupan City, Mangaldan, Bugallon, Santa Barbara and Mangatarem
- Rizal: Rodriguez
- Bataan: Province-wide
- Bulacan: Province-wide
- Pampanga: Province-wide
- Zambales: Masinloc
- Cavite: Province-wide
- Batangas: Nasugbu
The declaration allows affected local governments to expedite the release and use of emergency funds, including the Quick Response Fund, for disaster response and recovery.
It also enables the implementation of price controls to prevent profiteering and hoarding and facilitates faster relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations in affected communities.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said a price freeze is automatically enforced in areas declared under a state of calamity under Republic Act No. 7581, or the Price Act.
Under the law, prices of basic necessities and prime commodities must remain at their prevailing levels for 60 days, unless the price freeze is lifted earlier in accordance with applicable rules.
The recent calamities have resulted in at least 29 deaths and 19 injuries, while three people remain missing, according to the latest figures.
More than 1.9 million families, or approximately 6.6 million individuals, have been affected by the disasters, with some residents still staying in evacuation centers.
The calamities also caused extensive damage to agriculture and infrastructure across affected areas, prompting continued government relief and rehabilitation efforts.
