WHEREAS , Tropical Storm œOndoy  has brought about unprecedented rains in Luzon;

WHEREAS , these rains have submerged entire villages, cities, municipalities and provinces under water, causing tremendous damage to life and property;

WHEREAS , while the Local Government Code confers upon the local government units the power to determine and declare a state of calamity in their respective localities, the declaration by the President of a state of calamity is still necessary for the disbursement of the national calamity fund under the General Appropriations Act;

WHEREAS , due to the gravity of the damage caused by the floods, the national government is spearheading rescue and relief operations, as well as efforts to restore the victims of the calamity to a normal way of life, and rebuilding and repairing damaged infrastructure;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO , President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, hereby proclaim a state of calamity in the following areas:

1.In Region I, the Provinces of Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and La Union;

2. In Region II, the Provinces of Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela;

3. All the seven (7) provinces under Region III;

4. In Region IV-A, the Provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Quezon;

5. In Region IV-B, the Provinces of Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro;

6. In Region V, the Provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes;

7. In the Cordillera Autonomous Region, the Mountain Province, Benguet and Ifugao;

8. In the National Capital Region, all cities and municipalities therein.

All departments and other government agencies concerned are hereby directed to implement and execute medical assistance, relief and rehabilitation work in accordance with existing operational plans and directives and orders issued in connection with the occurrence of calamities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 26th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Nine.