Metro Manila under a state of calamity from widespread flooding

Metro Manila, Philippines – The capital region is now under a state of calamity with a number of areas suffering from floods brought about by non-stop rains.

In an emergency meeting convened by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday, 12 mayors of the Metro Manila Council, the region’s policy-making body, voted for the state of calamity declaration.

These are the mayors of Caloocan, Pasay, Pateros, Muntinlupa, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Makati, Navotas, Taguig, Pasig, Manila, and San Juan.

Five mayors were absent during the meeting of the 17-member council but Abalos said the quorum could decide on the recommendation.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, president of the MMC, seconded the motion. There were no objections.

Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, the declaration of a state of calamity imposes price caps on basic necessities and prime commodities and requires agencies to monitor and stop overpricing, profiteering, and hoarding of food, medicines, and fuel.

The same law defines a state of calamity as "a condition involving mass casualty and/or major damages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or human-induced hazard."

Abalos first floated his recommendation in a public situation briefing convened by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headquarters in Quezon City.

“Halos buong Metro Manila, halos baha na rin at baka tumuloy pa ito. So maraming tumawag maraming nagsabi na talagang i-state of calamity na ito,” Abalos told the media after the briefing.

[Translation: Almost all of Metro Manila is already flooded, and it might continue, so many people have called and said that it should really be declared a state of calamity.]

Marcos said he is leaving it up to the local chief executives since the national government only comes in when three or more regions are involved in a possible state of calamity declaration.

Rains brought by Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat flooded much of Metro Manila, prompting the evacuation of residents in Marikina and other low-lying areas and causing work and class suspensions and travel disruptions. - Eimor Santos