President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency to address the destruction caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi, which has resulted in 241 people dead or missing, according to recent reports. Out of these, 114 have been confirmed dead, while 127 are still missing.
The announcement was made during a briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, as per an official statement from the presidential office.
Marcos emphasized that the state of emergency will speed up rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations by enabling quicker access to emergency funds and simplifying procurement procedures.
“Because of the scope of, shall we say, problem areas that has been hit by Tino and will be hit by (Typhoon) Uwan, there was a proposal from the (council), which I approved, that we will declare a national calamity,” Marcos said.
The President also noted that 10 to 12 regions are expected to be impacted by the twin typhoons, as the country prepares for Typhoon Uwan.
Diego Mariano, deputy spokesperson for the Office of Civil Defense, reported that 82 people were injured in Central Visayas, the hardest-hit region, according to local media outlet the Inquirer. The powerful storm, locally known as Typhoon Tino, caused extensive damage including torn-off roofs, uprooted trees and utility poles, and severe flooding.
Flooding and landslides have contributed to widespread power outages and infrastructural damage.
Summary: The Philippines is under a national state of emergency as President Marcos Jr. responds to severe losses and prepares for continued impact from two major typhoons affecting multiple regions.