Ormoc under state of calamity due to ‘Urduja’

Ormoc City has been placed under a state of calamity after tropical depression Urduja pummeled the city with wind and rain.

The Ormoc Sangguniang Panglungsod approved Resolution No. 354 declaring a state of calamity over the city due to flashfloods and landslides, Mayor Richard Gomez shared in a Facebook post.

The resolution was signed during a special session on Saturday and as per recommendation of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

According to the 8 a.m. bulletin of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Leyte remained under cyclone warning no. 1, although weather has started to improve.

Urduja was last seen at 50 kilometers of southwest of Catarman, Northern Samar, the weather bureau said.

On Friday, Tacloban was also placed under a state of calamity due to severe flooding and landslides caused by Urduja.

Republic Act No. 10121 mandates local governments to allot 5% of their budget for disaster management activities or calamity fund. 

The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management also established in 2016 a national disaster preparedness budget that was spread to the different departments of the country.

The General Appropriations Act of Act aims to provide “aid, relief, and rehabilitation services to communities/areas affected by man-made and natural calamities, and repair and reconstruction of permanent structures, including her capital expenditures for disaster operations, rehabilitation activities.” /cbb