By Jonathan Carlo G. Villaraza
With the devastation brought about by Typhoon Carina, 12 of the 17 mayors from the local government units (LGUs) comprising the Metro Manila Council (MMC) yesterday voted to place the National Capital Region (NCR) under a State of calamity.
The MMC made the decision following a meeting jointly presided by Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora. The five other LGUs which were not identified, failed to attend the meeting.
“There is a motion to declare Metro Manila under the state of calamity by Mayor Francis Zamora and MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) Chairman Don AArtes),” Abalos said.
The idea to place NCR under a State of Calamity was actually mulled as early as in the morning when Abalos broached the idea to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
The President however deferred the decision to the Metro Manila mayors.
“It’s up to local communities to decide because they know best, they know best what they need,” Marcos told reporters in an interview after the situation briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.
During the briefing, Abalos bared large parts of the low-lying cities in Metro Manila are submerged in floodwaters, noting that 70 percent of areas in Navotas City are flooded; 80 percent in Malabon City; and 60 percent in Valenzuela City as Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat” continued to dump heavy rains on the metropolis.
In a radio interview after the MMC meeting, Zamora said the mayors decided to declare the state of calamity after assessing the effect of Carina and the habagat-induced rain in their respective areas.
“PAGASA said that it is even possible that our weather conditions will still be like this until tomorrow,” said Zamora.
“Based on the reports of our fellow Metro Manila mayors, almost all the cities in NCR, including the town of Pateros, are affected by this typhoon. So the MMC has decided to declare a state of calamity in the entire Metro Manila,” he added as he noted the heaviest affected areas are Marikina and the Camanava area.
With the declaration of a State of Calamity, the local governments are given the power to access emergency funds, specifically the Quick Response Fund, swiftly and implement relief operations to aid the displaced residents.
Without the declaration, Zamora said they are only allowed to spend 70 percent of the fund.
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