Declaration of national calamity
- Proclamation No. 522 declares a State of National Calamity due to the devastating effects of Typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha).
- The proclamation attributes death, destruction, and incalculable damage to the lives and properties of Filipinos to the rains, floods, landslides, and flashfloods caused by the typhoon.
- The declaration is justified by the severe gravity of the damage in specified provinces and cities across multiple regions, including:
- Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Norte in Region XI;
- Surigao del Sur in the CARAGA Region;
- Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City in Region X;
- Siquijor in Region VII; and
- Palawan in Region IV-B.
- The proclamation states that national calamity declaration will hasten rescue, relief, and rehabilitation by both the government and the private sector.
- The proclamation states that the declaration will effectively control the prices of basic goods and commodities for the affected areas.
- The declaration further states that it will support local government operations by giving local government units ample latitude to use their calamity funds for constituents’ rescue, relief, and rehabilitation.
Policy, purpose, and intended effects
- Proclamation No. 522 is intended to hasten rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, including international humanitarian assistance.
- Proclamation No. 522 is intended to effectively control the prices of basic goods and commodities in affected areas.
- Proclamation No. 522 is intended to implement the mechanisms for international humanitarian assistance pursuant to Republic Act No. 10121.
- Proclamation No. 522 is intended to provide local government units sufficient discretion to utilize their respective calamity funds for rescue, relief, and rehabilitation of their constituents.
Legal basis for international assistance
- Proclamation No. 522 requires that international humanitarian assistance mechanisms be implemented pursuant to Republic Act No. 10121, known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
- The proclamation treats Republic Act No. 10121 as the legal framework for handling international humanitarian assistance when a State of National Calamity is declared.
Government implementation directives
- Proclamation No. 522 directs all departments and other concerned government agencies to implement and execute medical assistance, relief, and rehabilitation work.
- Proclamation No. 522 requires execution in accordance with existing operational plans.
- Proclamation No. 522 requires execution in accordance with operational directives and orders issued in connection with the occurrence of calamities.
Scope of affected areas
- Proclamation No. 522 focuses the State of National Calamity on areas experiencing severe damage from Typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha).
- The proclamation identifies the following affected areas in justification for the declaration:
- Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Norte in Region XI;
- Surigao del Sur in the CARAGA Region;
- Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City in Region X;
- Siquijor in Region VII; and
- Palawan in Region IV-B.
- Proclamation No. 522 links the declaration’s intended effects—particularly price control of basic goods and commodities—to the affected areas described above.
Effect on local government calamity funds
- Proclamation No. 522 recognizes that local government units must have ample latitude to carry out rescue, relief, and rehabilitation.
- Proclamation No. 522 states that the declaration enables local government units to utilize their respective calamity funds for the benefit of their constituents.
- Proclamation No. 522 connects the use of calamity funds to rescue, relief, and rehabilitation activities in response to the declared national calamity.