MARAWI CITY—The provincial government of Lanao del Sur, jabbed by the sight of rubble and ruins faced by residents from the Tropical Storm “Vinta,” declared Friday a state of calamity throughout the province.
Lanao del Sur Gov. Bedjoria Soraya Alonto-Adiong said the death toll from Vinta rose to 28 on Friday in 11 worst affected towns of her province.
Alonto-Adiong said disaster workers were continuing the search for seven still missing persons in the towns of Wato-Balindong, Tugaya, Madalum, Piagapo, Poonabayabao, Maguing, Bubong, Ramain, Tamparan, Marantao, Wato, and Bacolod Kalawi.
The Provincial Board said Resolution 74- S. 2017 was prompted by the landfall of Vinta last week, which it said resulted in massive damage to agricultural crops, infrastructure facilities, and displacement of residents and loss of lives.
Vice Gov. Bombit Adiong said initial assessment of the extent of damage had been jointly reported and validated by the Provincial Disaster-Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
He said the resolution would enable the office of the governor to speed up delivery of emergency services by utilizing calamity funds.
Specifically, the resolution would allow the governor’s office to use five percent of the province’s calamity fund, and 30 percent of reserved funds for relief and other forms of assistance package to typhoon victims.
Meanwhile, the European Union is allocating €570000 (P34 million) in humanitarian funding to deliver emergency relief assistance to families affected by Vinta.
The funds will be used to address the immediate needs of those who have been most affected by Vinta.
“This EU contribution underlines our commitment to the people of the Philippines, many of whom have suffered great losses as a result of Tropical Storm Vinta and are in dire need of immediate assistance. My thoughts are with the victims and all affected by the catastrophe,” EU Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Commissioner Christos Stylianides said.
“The funding will enable our humanitarian partners to deliver life-saving aid to those most in need, to ensure that they have the capacities to face the grave hardships,” he added.
Vinta, known internationally as Tembin, struck the southern part of the Philippines on the night of December 22, leaving a trail of destruction in at least 23 provinces in Mindanao.
Over 670 000 people have been affected, including over 140,000 who are displaced.
According to initial assessments, over 2,600 homes were damaged, more than 60 percent of which were completely destroyed.
The EU-funded assistance will focus on responding to immediate needs of the most vulnerable families, including the provision of emergency shelter and essential household items, access to clean water and hygiene promotion.
Humanitarian experts from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations aid have also been deployed in some of the most affected localities to assess the situation and identify the most pressing needs.
Packing winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour, Vinta hit land in the coastal province of Davao Oriental, bringing torrential downpours which triggered widespread flooding as well as deadly landslides and mudslides in various parts of the region.
As of December 27, at least 160 people have been reported killed while 176 more are still missing, and casualties are expected to increase when more areas become accessible.
Vinta is considered the deadliest cyclone to strike Mindanao since Typhoon Bopha in December 2012.
The EU as a whole is among the leading donors of humanitarian aid in the world, reaching over 120 million people across the globe every year.