DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Dec. 8, 2012) – Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Friday has put the country under a state of national calamity after super typhoon Bopha devastated much of the southern region and left hundreds of people dead.
Aquino’s Proclamation No. 522 allows local governments to utilize their respective calamity funds for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in their areas and hasten relief assistance among areas hardest hit by the calamity.
Among those hit by the typhoon were the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Siquijor and Palawan in Region 4-B.
Aquino also inspected devastated areas in New Bataan town in Compostela Valley and Boston in Davao Oriental.
He also instructed government agencies to speed up relief and search operations, as well as the reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges so that needed goods and services could reach heavily damaged areas, the Philippine News Agency said.
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