STATE OF CALAMITY. Baguio City is placed under a state of calamity with the passage of Resolution 494-2023 passed by the city council in its regular session on Monday (Aug. 8, 2023). The declaration of a state of calamity came with the reported damage of PHP18 million from Super Typhoon Egay. (Screenshot of the resolution)
BAGUIO CITY – The city government on Monday evening placed Baguio under a state of calamity due to the effects of Super Typhoon Egay.
The declaration was made with the approval of Resolution 494-2023, copies of which was circulated to the media on Tuesday.
The declaration is based on an initially reported damage of PHP18,403,943 sustained by the electric distribution utility Beneco worth PHP5.39 million; cost of damage on infrastructures estimated by the City Building and Architecture Office at PHP4.38 million and the City Engineering at PHP4.25 million; damage in school facilities and learning materials worth PHP3.17 million; and damage to facilities and crops reported by the city Veterinary and Agriculture Office at PHP1.2 million.
The city's declaration came several days after Abra, Apayao, Benguet and Mountain Province were also placed under a state of calamity due to Egay.
“The CDRRMO (City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council) also reported incidents of 163 leaning/ fallen trees/ branches, 34 electrical concerns; 17 incidents of flooding; 14 incidents of soil erosion; five stranded people/ vehicles; 25 incidents of landslides; two clogged drainages; and one incident of medical/ trauma assistance,” the resolution read.
The resolution further said one of the criteria laid down by the National DRRMC in declaring a state of calamity is when at least 15 percent of the forecast affected population needed emergency assistance.
“With 75 out of the 128 barangays or 58.59 percent reporting critical incidents such as damage in house or properties, casualties and evacuees, the city meets the necessary qualification to declare a state of calamity,” it read.
The city continues to experience intermittent heavy rains even after Egay with monsoon rains drenching the soil in this mountain resort city.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported over radio station DZEQ Radyo Pilipinas-Baguio on Tuesday that the current rains will ensue until the weekend, the increasing risk to residents.
"Declaring a state of calamity is crucial to facilities' access to additional resources, streamlines assistance efforts, and enables the city government to provide timely support to affected residents, businesses, and infrastructure. This is a necessary step that will empower the city government to address the immediate needs of the community and lay the groundwork for a comprehensive recovery,” the resolution read.
The declaration allows the city government to access the quick response fund (QRF) for services related to rehabilitation and recovery. (PNA)
