Ilocos Sur residents line up to receive relief supplies from the government in the wake of Severe Tropical Storm “Maring.” Photo courtesy of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
LAOAG CITY—The government of Ilocos Sur declared a state of calamity in the entire province on Monday (Oct. 18), after the massive devastation on agriculture and infrastructure in the wake of the Severe Tropical Storm “Maring” (Kompasu) that battered northern Luzon last week.
The provincial board passed Resolution no. 0565-2021 during a virtual session on Oct. 13. It was approved by Gov. Ryan Luis Singson, allowing the province to use its quick response fund to bring relief to disaster-stricken residents in 387 villages.
Ilocos Sur was the worst-affected province in Ilocos, with damage initially valued at P580 million.
The province, which saw its worst flooding in recent years due to Maring, recorded the highest death toll in the country, with 14 verified casualties so far.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said Maring displaced over 71,272 families or 258,090 individuals in the province.