Malacañang spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Tuesday expressed confidence that President Rodrigo Duterte would approve the recommendation to place Luzon under a state of calamity following the powerful typhoons that battered the landmass in the past two months.
Roque said Duterte had already received the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to declare state of calamity.
“Antayin po natin ang desisyon pero sigurado naman po ako na ‘yung mga lugar na talagang matinding naapektuhan ng mga bagyo na sunud-sunod ay maipapasailalim naman po iyan sa state of calamity,” the Palace official said at a news conference in Cagayan province
Under a state of calamity, businesses would not be allowed to increase the prices of basic commodities, as stated in Republic Act 7581.
Section 6 of the Price Act said that “if the prevailing price of any basic necessity is excessive or unreasonable, the implementing agency may recommend to the President the imposition of a price ceiling for the sale of the basic necessity at a price other than its prevailing price.”
Roque hopeful Duterte will declare state of calamity over Luzon
The President has also moved to create the Build Back Better Task Force to speed up typhoon-hit communities’ rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said on Monday that Duterte approved the recommendation to augment the calamity funds of local government units severely affected by the recent strong typhoons.
Go said the President had approved his previous proposal of providing additional local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund equivalent to 1% of the LGUs’ respective Internal Revenue Allotments.
“Inaprubahan na rin ni Pangulong Duterte ‘yung direktiba na inapela ko noong mga nakaraang linggo—iyong ubos na ang calamity fund ng mga apektadong LGUs dahil sa pandemya,” Go said during a relief distribution in Marikina City on Monday.
“Magbibigay ng 1% of the IRA ang national government para makatulong kaagad sa mga tinamaan ng bagyo,” he added.
Bong Go did not specify which LGUs will receive the additional calamity fund, but the victims of Typhoon Ulysses are from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Metro Manila, and Cordillera Administrative Region, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.