By Ruth Palo
March 14, 2023
DAVAO CITY: The province of Davao de Oro has been placed under a state of calamity due to the extensive damage from the series of earthquakes that hit the province last week.
In a resolution passed on Saturday, March 11, through a special session, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan said the declaration would allow the provincial government to immediately address the needs of its residents displaced by the earthquakes.
Based on Section 21 of Republic Act 10121 or "Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010," at least 30 percent of the local disaster risk reduction management fund "shall be allocated as Quick Response Fund or standby fund for relief and recovery programs in order that situation and living conditions of people in communities or areas stricken by disasters, calamities, epidemics, or complex emergencies, may be normalized as quickly as possible."
Based on the latest situational report of the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Council, a total of 194,057 households or 229,647 families were affected by the series of strong quakes.
It also reported that the recent earthquakes left an estimated damage of P265 million to infrastructures.
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake rocked Davao de Oro and neighboring provinces last March 6 while two more strong tremors ranging from magnitude 5.6 to 5.9 were reported the following day with epicenters in the municipality of New Bataan in said province.
Currently, all the concerned agencies are in close coordination to address the need for potable water to nine evacuation centers situated in the towns of Maco, Nabunturan, and New Bataan.
