State of calamity in Cagayan, La Union provinces

MANILA, Philippines - With relief supplies running low and dozens of towns and villages still in shambles in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Lawin, the Cagayan provincial government placed the entire province under a state of calamity.

Local disaster officials said 14 people perished in the typhoon, most of them victims of landslides in Cagayan Valley and in the provinces under the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR).

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba appealed for immediate help from the national government, saying the province is now in dire need of help as their current food stocks have been diminished and could only last for several days.

“The province is now under a state of calamity,” Mamba said during a radio interview.

He stressed that without help from the national government, it will take months for the province to recover.

Mamba said Lawin literally damaged or destroyed everything in the province.

“Even our provincial building was damaged,” he said, describing Lawin as the most powerful typhoon in history to hit the province.

Aside from food, medicine and potable water, Mamba also appealed for tents for temporary shelters for displaced residents, most of whom are living in makeshift tents set up along roadsides.

As of yesterday, the province remains without power supply, with limited electricity being provided by generator sets.

The province of La Union was also placed under a state of calamity.

Government agencies, through the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), are currently organizing relief caravans for Cagayan, the Ilocos regions and CAR.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III launched an emergency employment program for affected residents.

Private donors that included the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) allocated P2 million to areas devastated by the typhoon.

A teachers’ organization is urging the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to immediately release the year-end bonus of public educators and other government officials in areas affected by Lawin.

“The severity of the blows suffered by many provinces in Luzon due to cyclones, most recently Super Typhoon Lawin, underscores the need to prioritize assistance to those affected,” the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) said. – With Raymund Catindig, Sheila Crisostomo, Mayen Jaymalin, Eva Visperas, Evelyn Macairan, Jun Elias, Janvic Mateo