Solon urges declaration of state of calamity in Odette-hit regions to freeze prices, tap funds

Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda called on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to recommend a declaration of state of calamity in regions devastated by Typhoon Odette in Visayas and Mindanao.

“Under the National DRR Act, or Republic Act No. 10121, the NDRRMC should recommend a declaration of state of calamity by the President. A declaration will then activate measures such as price controls, reprogramming of funds for repair of infrastructure, and the granting of no-interest loans by the government financial institutions,” Salceda said in a statement.

Salceda said if President Rodrigo Duterte will declare a state of calamity, there will be a price freeze of basic goods in the affected areas.

“The government can mobilize its quick response funds, created under RA 10121, the NDRRM Funds, and the President’s Contingent Fund. Note that both the 2020 and the 2021 budgets for these funds are still valid. You have around P6.5 billion in available fund balances from the NDRRM Fund and the President’s contingent funds, based on latest budget reports,” he said.

“There is also the Presidential Social Fund, which is off-budget, and which the President can also immediately mobilize. That comes from PAGCOR, which remitted some P2 billion this year to the Social Fund,” he added.

Some areas were already under state of calamity due to Odette including Iloilo City, Bohol, Cebu, and Surigao Del Sur, among others.—LDF, GMA News