DAVAO CITY – The town of New Bataan in Davao de Oro was placed under a state of calamity on Friday, March 10, due to damage sustained in earthquakes that rocked Davao de Oro and neighboring provinces this week.
A resolution released by the Sangguniang Bayan said the declaration would allow the municipal government of New Bataan to immediately address the needs of its residents stricken by earthquakes that damaged residential houses and infrastructures.
Putting the municipality under a state of calamity would also enable the local government to utilize the quick response fund.
Under Section 21 of Republic Act 10121 or the 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 the 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.
The Regional Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC)-Davao reported that the series of earthquakes left an estimated damage of P42,320,000 and affected a total of 2,942 families or 13,560 individuals in the region.
A magnitude-5.3 earthquake shook parts of Davao region on March 6 while two more major tremors ranging from magnitude-5.6 to 5.9 were reported the following day with epicenters in New Bataan.
As of 12 noon on Thursday, March 9, the RDRRMC-Davao reported a total of 1,120 earthquakes, 27 of which were felt.