THE coastal town of Macabebe was placed under a state of calamity Thursday morning, July 26, due to severe flooding in all its barangays.

The declaration, which was ratified through Resolution No. 054 Series of 2018 approved by the Sangguniang Bayan and signed by Mayor Anette Flores-Balgan, cited the prevailing effects by the onslaught of typhoons and monsoon rains the past days.

Based on the data of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the 25 barangays of this town are submerged in up to five feet of floodwaters including some of the major thoroughfares, resulting to paralysis of transportation.

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office also reported that some 21,957 individuals from 5,666 families are also affected by the flooding, and need immediate relief assistance.

The agriculture sector also incurred huge losses estimated at P50.406 million as reported by the Municipal Agriculture Office.

With the town placed under state of calamity, the local government and barangays are now authorized to utilize the 30 percent quick response fund of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as noted in the resolution.

The funds will be utilized to provide immediate relief assistance to affected residents, especially in the hard-hit barangays of Castuli, Sto. Niño, Sta. Maria, Caduang Tete, Candelaria, San Esteban, Consuelo, Dalayap and San Isidro.

The municipality of Macabebe is the third in the province to declare a state of calamity after Masantol and San Simon towns.