Declaring a year-long national state of calamity after severe tropical storm "Paeng" destroyed parts of the country is not necessary, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Monday. Based on his estimate, the President said the declaration is not imperative since the typhoon damage is "highly localized."

"I don't think it's necessary," Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview during his visit to typhoon-hit residents in Noveleta, Cavite on Monday afternoon.

"I came to that conclusion in consultation with the DENR. It's not extensive. Not isolated but highly-localized damage," he added.

He made the response when asked if he will approve the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to declare a national state of calamity for one year.

Marcos cited hard-hit areas Quezon province, Cavite, and Maguindanao.

"So those are the areas. It does not need to have the… like in the Visayas, there's no need for a national calamity. For Region I, II, there's no need for state of calamity. So, I don't think it's necessary," he said."I think we will focus better if we stay with the calamity status that we have now."

Marcos assured that the government is ready to provide support to farmers affected by the storm as the initial assessment of the damage to the agriculture sector is amounting to P260 million.

Damage assessment, he added, is still ongoing, noting that farmers have just planted their crops before the typhoon hit and it is highly likely they will replant.

"So we have to see what we can revive and those that we can't do about it. We will have to provide inputs for the agricultural sector," he said. "But it is the built-up areas where the problems will be more than the agriculture. Of course, agriculture is still — always very important."

Marcos, however, expressed fear that the initial report of the damage caused by "Paeng" might increase as more reports come in.

In Noveleta, Cavite, the President led the distribution of financial aid to the beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's assistance to individuals in crisis situations program.

Facing typhoon victims at the San Jose Evacuation Center in Barangay San Jose II, he assured that the government has boosted its efforts to help them quickly get back on their feet.

Some 18,000 families have been evacuated in Cavite, according to local reports.

"We will make sure that as long as you are here in the evacuation center, all of your needs will be provided until you return to your respective homes," Marcos said.

He added that he will create a long-term solution to the flooding problem in Cavite.

"We will have a long-term solution so that even if there is heavy flooding, the soil will not give way. There will be no landslide which is the problem," he said.

The Chief Executive said a project financed through the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency could be a possibility.

"There is a JICA project to widen the river as part of the flood control. That's the long term," he explained.

He added: "But for the short tem, I think more or less that we take care of all the victims. So we are at the stage now of rebuilding."

Local authorities said heavy rains induced by the storm damaged Cavite's flood control system leading to the destruction of a river wall near the Ylang-Ylang River and exposing its residents to high flood water.

After the distribution, the President presided over a situation briefing with local government officials, DSWD, NDRRMC, and the Office of the Civil Defense.