Governor Edwin Jubahib made the statement during a press conference on Thursday, January 18, after the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC).
The municipalities of Asuncion, B.E. Dujali, Carmen, Kapalong, New Corella, and Santo Tomas, as well as the cities of Tagum and Panabo, are affected. Landslides were also reported in Talaingod and San Isidro.
As of 8 p.m. On Wednesday, January 17, extensive flash floods hit 79 barangays, affecting 47,376 families and 244,981 people.
The proclamation of a state of calamity is awaiting approval from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to speed up relief, recovery, and rehabilitation activities.
"Kini para mahimong legal ang atong paggamit sa atong calamity funds para sa mga ayuda alang sa atong mga kaigsoonang biktima sa kalamidad ug sa pag-rehabilitate sa atong damaged agriculture ug infrastructures (This is to legalize our use of our calamity funds for aid for our brothers and sisters who are victims of the calamity and to rehabilitate our damaged agriculture and infrastructures)," the governor was quoted as saying.
He emphasized the importance of legal access to disaster relief money for help distribution and the rebuilding of damaged agricultural and infrastructure.
The province presently has P129.98 million in unused catastrophe funds.
B.E. is one of four local government units (LGUs) that have declared a state of emergency. Dujali, Carmen, Asuncion, and Tagum City.
The Council also enacted a resolution extending the deadline for paying past-due real estate taxes without penalty until June 30, 2024, to aid in the quick recovery of disaster victims.
According to initial reports, 480.2 hectares of farmland worth more than P11 million had been damaged, affecting almost 500 farmers.
Jubahib oversaw the development of an emergency relief camp in the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Center, which provided free hot meals, health check-ups, medicines, psychosocial support, and other services to affected families.
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