The province of Catanduanes is now under a state of calamity after Super Typhoon Rolly barreled through this island province on Sunday, killing at least five people and leaving over 10,000 families homeless.

The declaration on Monday was based on Resolution No. 583-2020, the damage report submitted by the Catanduanes Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

“PDRRMC reported that ‘more than 65 percent of the houses was destroyed, 70 percent of the electrical posts was destroyed, an estimated amount of PHP400-million damage to abaca industry, PHP150-million damage to agriculture’ and that all communications (facilities) are down as per a partial report,” the resolution said.

Meanwhile, a C-130 plane from the Department of Social Welfare and Development main office in Manila delivered relief items including food and bottled water to the province on Wednesday.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) also imposed a price freeze on basic commodities.

Maria Bel Escueta, DTI-Catanduanes director, in an interview said: “With this state of calamity order we can now issue the price freeze today and we will distribute to all grocery stores, hardware stores, and water refilling stations, and other primary establishments.”

Escueta added that based on their monitoring, no price increase was noted in Catanduanes.

“Maybe because the people (businessmen) here are already conscientious enough not to increase prices,” she said.

Escueta said there is no food shortage in the province although it could fall short of hardware supplies like galvanized iron sheets, plywood, and nails as every household needs to have repairs done.

Despite the wide swath of destruction left behind by the super typhoon, Ester Molina, 56, of Barangay Cabugao, Bato town in Catanduanes, expressed optimism of recovery.

“Nauyagan kami, pero kaya man. Ung iba naayos na ung iba mai pa basta ang importante buhay kami gabos,” (Our house was destroyed but we’re okay. The important thing is we are all alive),” she said.

However, Jocelyn Leonardo, 56, of the same village, asked for help, saying their house was totally destroyed.

The province of Camarines Sur was also placed under a state of calamity on Monday after being whipped by “Rolly” with strong winds and torrential rains that flattened houses and toppled down electricity facilities.

Albay was earlier placed under the same declaration after the devastation caused by Typhoon Quinta.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), however, said the province would again declare on Thursday (Nov. 5) a state of calamity due to “Rolly”.

The howler destroyed houses and toppled down electric poles when it made its second landfall in Tiwi, Albay Sunday morning. (PNA)