The Philippine Office of Civil Defense said on the 21st that combined southwest
monsoon winds and a tropical cyclone have produced heavy rain and widespread
flooding, prompting 88 municipalities to declare a "state of calamity."
Worst-hit provinces include Pampanga and Bulacan in Luzon’s largest plain, areas
the agency says are highly susceptible to flooding from prolonged heavy rain.
The civil defense bulletin reported more than half of villages in Pampanga are
submerged, nearly 1.0 million people affected, and agricultural losses of about
PHP 1.4 billion (≈USD 22.7 million). A "state of calamity" is an official
emergency declaration local governments issue during severe natural disasters,
epidemics or major crises.
