House members express solidarity for victims of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng
THE House of Representatives has adopted a resolution expressing compassion, solidarity, support, and empathy to the 2.4 million Filipinos affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.
“The House of Representatives stands in solidarity with the victims at this trying time and assures Filipinos that it is ready and willing to provide any assistance necessary to alleviate the suffering of those affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng and aid them as they struggle to overcome this calamity,” reads House Resolution No. 504 which was adopted on Monday
“The House of Representatives collectively and individually rise up to the challenges of relief and rehabilitation in the storm-affected areas, including individual pledges for the purpose of providing financial and all other kinds of assistance,” it added.
The House resolution was introduced by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos, Tingog party-list Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre.
According to the resolution, leaders and members of the House mounted a relief and rehabilitation drive for the victims of the severe tropical storm.
Private individuals and entities also pledged to provide assistance to the affected communities, while the governments of Canada and the United States of America confirmed their readiness to help the National Government in its rehabilitation and relief operations.
Last October 29, Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) hit the Philippines and made several landfalls over the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Quezon, Marinduque, Batangas, and Bulacan, and ravaged a total of 70 provinces from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It also affected 741,777 families or 2.4 million individuals, displaced 975,374 individuals, and caused 121 deaths, 178 injuries and 36 missing individuals due to incidents of flooding and landslides in different regions of the country.
“As an aftermath of the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, His Excellency, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., issued Proclamation No.84, declaring a state of calamity for six months in Region IV-A (CALABARZON), Region V (Bicol), Region VI (Western Visayas Region) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to allow for government leaders to swiftly respond to the needs of their respective communities that are greatly affected and damaged by the severe tropical storm,” the resolution said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council estimated that the storm’s initial damage has surpassed the one-billion-peso mark, with 24,813 farmers and fishermen affected by damage to agriculture pegged at P435.4 million pesos; 14.9 million pesos in damage to livestock, poultry, and fisheries; P757.8 million pesos in damage to infrastructure; and P12.4 million pesos in damage to roughly 4,188 houses.
