• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental is getting P50 million in financial assistance from Malacañang, following the declaration of a state of national calamity on Thursday by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The declaration of a state of national calamity will accelerate the rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector. The declaration will also facilitate the use of calamity funds in affected areas.
“That gives us quicker access to some of the emergency funds. Secondly, mapapabilis ang ating (it will speed up) procurement so that we don’t have to go to the usual bureaucratic procedures and we can immediately provide assistance to the victims,” President Marcos said.
Negros Oriental will also receive P30 million, according to a statement issued by the Presidential Communication Office.
President Marcos said the government is evaluating the deployment of personnel to cover ongoing rescue and relief operations in the Typhoon Tino-affected areas and prepare for the impact of Typhoon Uwan in Northern Luzon.
“Because of the scope of, shall we say, problem areas that has been hit by Tino and will be hit by Uwan, there was a proposal from the NDRRMC, which I approved, that we will declare a national calamity because ilang regions na ‘yan (it is already many regions),” President Marcos said.* with PNA reports
