Calbayog under state of calamity

Reeling from the aftermath of Typhoon Opong, Calbayog City was placed under a state of calamity by local authorities on Sunday.

“The Sangguniang Panglungsod this afternoon has approved the declaration of a State of Calamity within Calbayog City, following the recommendation submitted by the City Disaster Reduction Management Office,” the Calbayog City Public Information Office said in a statement.

It said a special session presided by Vice Mayor Rex Daguman was convened in response to the request of Mayor Raymond Uy to act on the declaration.

The declaration of a state of calamity  is intended to fast track disaster response 

Opong struck Calbayog on September 26, resulting in considerable damage to the city’s infrastructure and property, particularly on the coastal area and relief operations.

The city said a copy of the resolution is set to be released on Monday.

Situated on the western part of Samar province, Calbayog is the sixth largest city in the Philippines in terms of land and water areas. It has a population of at least 188,000 people.  —RF, GMA Integrated News