A nation in the eye of two storms

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has declared a state of national calamity following the widespread devastation left by typhoon “Tino” (international name: Kalmaegi) and amid growing concern over the possible onslaught of another powerful storm, typhoon “Uwan.”

“Because of the scope of problem areas that were — and will be — hit by Tino and Uwan, there was a proposal from the NDRRMC, which I approved, to declare a national calamity,” Marcos told reporters on Thursday at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. “Almost 10 to 12 regions will be affected.”

Earlier in the day, the President led a situation briefing with Cabinet officials to assess the impact of “Tino” and prepare for the possible entry of “Uwan,” which may intensify into a super typhoon in the coming days.

“The impact on Cebu was really heavy — actually Regions 6, 7, 8 and Mimaropa were also hit, even reaching the Negros Island region because ‘Tino’ crossed over, and the damage is extensive,” Marcos said partly in Filipino.

“We are conducting the usual relief and support operations so that everyone who has been displaced or affected can receive assistance from the government,” he added.

Marcos said “Tino” unleashed torrential rains and powerful winds across parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, triggering massive flooding, landslides, and power outages that submerged entire towns and displaced thousands of families.

According to the latest government data, 114 people have died due to the typhoon’s impact, while the validation of the number of missing persons and damage assessments were still underway.

“The only problem is that ‘Tino’ intensified. Unfortunately, we’re also monitoring another approaching weather system that has the potential to become even stronger — it’s already been named ‘Uwan.’ So we are also preparing for that,” Marcos said.

The President admitted the government faces a logistical challenge as most response teams remain deployed in the Visayas for ongoing relief operations. “We now need to start thinking about how many of them, and who among them, can be redeployed to prepare for the arrival of ‘Uwan,’” he said.

Marcos said that declaring a state of national calamity allows the government to fast-track relief and rehabilitation efforts, access calamity funds, impose a price freeze on basic goods, and mobilize national resources more efficiently across the affected areas.

“We don’t have to go through the usual bureaucratic procedures and we can immediately provide assistance to the victims,” he said.

He assured the public that response and recovery operations are in full swing, especially in hard-hit provinces in the Visayas. Government teams have been deployed to restore power and communication lines, clear blocked roads, and deliver food, water, and medical aid to affected communities.

“I do not want to give a number yet because we are still validating all the figures — the extent of the damage, the number of people displaced, and those staying in evacuation centers or with relatives,” Marcos said. “These are still being processed, but it is a significant number.”

‘Uwan’ could be super typhoon

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that typhoon “Uwan,” currently outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), could enter as early as Friday night or Saturday morning and intensify rapidly into a super typhoon.

Forecast models indicate that “Uwan” could make landfall in Northern or Central Luzon by Monday, bringing strong winds and torrential rain at or near its peak intensity.

Marcos said the government is taking every step to anticipate Uwan’s arrival. “We’ll likely start feeling the effects —the rain and some winds — by Sunday morning. We’ll do everything we can to anticipate and prepare so we can lessen the impact as much as possible.”

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on local government units to activate their disaster councils, prepare evacuation sites, clear waterways, and preposition emergency supplies.

“Preparedness saves lives. We call on all LGUs to act now to prevent casualties,” the DILG said.

As “Tino” exits and “Uwan” looms, Marcos urged Filipinos to remain alert and cooperate with the authorities. “We’ve been through many storms before — but with readiness, coordination, and compassion, we will recover faster and come out stronger,” he said.

Gov’t releases P760-M aid

To jumpstart recovery efforts, the national government has allocated P760 million in aid to affected provinces, sourced from the Office of the President and coursed through local governments.

P50M each — Cebu, Capiz, Surigao del Norte, Iloilo, Bohol, Negros Occidental

P40M each — Eastern Samar, Surigao del Sur, Southern Leyte, Antique, Aklan

P30M each — Leyte, Masbate

P20M each — Guimaras, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands

P10M each — Biliran, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Misamis Oriental, Negros Oriental, Palawan

P5M each — Albay, Romblon, Batangas, Northern Samar, Siquijor, Quezon, Samar, Agusan del Sur, Laguna, Zamboanga City, Camiguin, Occidental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Zamboanga del Norte and Iligan City.

The City of Manila will also receive aid to assist stranded passengers and other affected individuals.

According to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, local governments still have available calamity funds, while the Quick Response Funds (QRF) of national agencies remain fully funded. The DBM recently approved P1.625 billion in QRF replenishment after the October 6.9-magnitude Cebu earthquake.

Despite the devastation left by typhoon “Tino,” Malacañang said no foreign aid is being sought for now, as government funds are sufficient. However, Australia, Canada and the United States have already expressed readiness to assist if needed.