The municipality of Calumpit in the province of Bulacan has been placed under a “state of calamity” after 29 barangays experienced massive flooding due to south west monsoon enhanced by typhoon “Egay.”
Based on the Municipal Resolution No.133-2023, a resolution declaring the municipality of Calumpit under a state of Calamity, 293 affected families or 819 individuals from flood-prone areas in the municipality were evacuated due to the typhoon “Egay.”
Councilors Coach Geli Bulaong and Troy Aldaba fearlessly went down into the chest-deep flood of Barangay Longos, MacArthur Village in the City of Malolos, Bulacan on Saturday Afternoon, July 29, 2023, while they personally handed the relief goods to a senior citizen trapped in their house by the massive flooding brought by southwest monsoon enhanced by the recent Typhoon Egay. (Photo courtesy of Marcel Bayan/ MANILA BULLETIN)
It also stated that the crop damage caused by the typhoon reached 187.5 hectares of rice and 1.35 hectares of vegetables with an estimated P3,103,560.40.
The report further stated that damages to fisheries reached P640,000, Th estimated damages to infrastructure caused by the flood is yet to be disclosed.
Some of the barangay and major roads are not passable to light vehicles and the process of monitoring and evaluation are ongoing and not yet determined.
The declaration of the municipality under the state of calamity is appropriate and proper in order to extend relief assistance to the affected families and to repair and rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure.
In line with this, the Calumpit Sangguniang Bayan (SB) presided by Calumpit Vice Mayor Zacarias C. Candelaria, along with SB members Rico Jhon I. Pagdanganan, Thelma A. Dansalan, Luceria D. Diego, Ricky L. Viray, Agnes A. Pangan, Romeo M. Bernardino Jr., Alvin M. Danganan, Maureen I. Torres, ABC President Reynaldo P. Tarroza Sr., and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) President James Lancelot S. De Jesus, passed the Resolution Number 133-2023 declaring that the municipality of Calumpit under the “State of Calamity,” due to the said damaging effects of flood in agriculture, livelihood, and infrastructure.
Calumpit Mayor Lem Faustino visited and distribute relief goods to flood victims in Barangays Balite, Balungao, Buguion, Bulusan, Calizon, Calumpang, Caniogan, Corazon, Frances, Gatbuca, Gugo, Iba Este, Iba-O-Este, Meysulao, Meyto, Palimbang, Panducot, Pio Cruzcoza, Poblacion, Longos, Pungo, San Jose, San Marcos, San Miguel, Sapang Bayan, Sergio Bayan, Sta. Lucia, Sto. Niño and Sucol including those who evacuated to evacuation centers.
Simultaneously, Tonton Robles of Barangay Gatbuca distributed 500 food packs at the said village, Derick Pangan distributed 10 tubs of milkfish (Bangus) while the team of Bulacan First District Danilo A. Domingo distributed 1,000 packs of relief goods, all in Gatbuca village.
Residents of Calumpit fear that floodwaters may take a while to subside as the provinces of Pampanga and Nueva Ecija which border them are still also flooded.
In Hagonoy town, 17 barangays are also under floodwater, the villages of Tibaguin, Pugad, San Juan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Palapat, San Agustin, Tampok, Sta Monica, Sto Nino, San Jose, Mercado, Sto Rosario, Sagrada Familia, San Roque, Sta Cruz, and San Pascual.
Hagonoy Mayor Baby Manlapaz and Vice Mayor Charo Alvarado Mendoza provided help their constituents even at the coastal barangays like Tibaguin and Pugad where they boarded a boat and personally distributed the 2,000 packs of relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD) accompanied by Barangay Chairmen Ramon Atienza and Willy Suico of Barangays Pugad and Tibaguin respectively.
Meanwhile, chest-deep floods inundated some Barangays in the City of Malolos, and residents had to rely on boats to leave. Others also find a higher place to park their vehicles.
The team of Malolos City Mayor Christian D. Natividad led by Councilor Troy Aldaba, Coach Geli Bulaong, and SK Meil Agustin fearless went down into the chest-deep flood of Barangay Longos Malolos at MacArthur Village and personally distributed the relief goods to flood victims trapped in their respective houses.