World
Philippines: Duterte places Luzon island under state of calamity
Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he had signed an order placing the entire island of Luzon under a state of calamity.
His move, based on a recommendation by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), was aimed at helping rescue and recovery efforts in the region which has been devastated by three consecutive typhoons in recent weeks.
Since Oct. 25, five cyclones have hit the Philippines. They have included typhoons Molave, Goni — reportedly the world’s strongest storm this year — and Vamco, which have left 114 people dead and displaced tens of thousands of families in Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Cordilleras, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Metro Manila.
