TWO municipalities in Davao Occidental have declared a State of Calamity due to the impacts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
The Municipality of Don Marcelino declared the State of Calamity on December 28, 2024, through Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Resolution No. 207, Series of 2024. The Municipality of Malita followed suit on the same day with SB Resolution No. 142, Series of 2024.
This declaration allows the municipalities easier access to aid, and a price freeze on basic goods has been implemented.
As of January 1, 2024, the Provincial Government of Davao Occidental has been rationing potable and non-potable water to evacuees in Malita.
According to a Facebook post from the Local Government Unit (LGU), water has been provided to around 46 households, or about 197 individuals, at the Catumbal Gym in Barangay Mana, Malita.
The LGU stated it will continue to supply water to affected areas lacking access.
Both Don Marcelino and Malita have been severely impacted by the ITCZ.
According to the latest report from the Office of the Civil Defense-Davao Region (OCD-Davao) as of 10 p.m. on January 1, 2025, approximately 16,272 families in Davao Occidental, 8,464 families in Davao de Oro, and 44 families in Davao Oriental have been affected.
The report also noted that four roads and three bridges in Davao Occidental remain impassable, with about 690 partially damaged houses and 383 damaged houses in the province.
The reported damage to infrastructure in Davao Occidental and Davao del Norte is approximately P215,700,000.
The number of families requiring assistance has increased to 24,674, with 16,210 from Davao Occidental and 8,464 from Davao de Oro. Of these, approximately 12,592 families have already received aid. RGP