Eastern Samar has been placed under a state of calamity upon the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) following the extensive destruction caused by successive weather disturbances – Typhoon Tino and Super Typhoon Uwan.
In a resolution approved on Tuesday, the council cited that the twin typhoons brought torrential rains, violent winds, and massive flooding, which led to significant damage to properties, infrastructure, agriculture, and fisheries across several municipalities and in Borongan City.
Based on the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis conducted by local disaster risk reduction and management councils, the twin typhoons left 323 houses totally damaged; 2,529 houses partially damaged;47,178 families displaced; P29.08 million in infrastructure damage; P9.2 million in agricultural losses; P6.7 million in damage to fisheries; and P730,000 in losses to livestock and poultry.
The PDRRMC, chaired by Gov. Ralph Vincent Evardone, noted that the scale of destruction has overwhelmed the response and recovery capacities of local government units, requiring immediate intervention, resource mobilization, and coordinated relief operations from the provincial and national governments.
The declaration of a state of calamity, once approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, will enable the utilization of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF), including the Quick Response Fund. It will also authorize price control measures on basic goods and prime commodities to prevent overpricing during the emergency period.
Provincial officials said the move would expedite the delivery of assistance to thousands of families affected by the two typhoons, which struck the region within days of each other, bringing severe flooding and isolation to low-lying towns and coastal villages.
Tino and Uwan struck Eastern Visayas in early November, prompting mass evacuations and widespread power outages. The province of Eastern Samar, located along the Pacific coast, bore the brunt of the storms’ impact