La Trinidad under state of calamity, records P28.4M damages due to Crising, Dante, Emong, and Habagat

Benguet, Philippines - To hasten the rehabilitation of areas damaged due to weather disturbances in La Trinidad and to fast-track relief efforts to affected residents, the august body has placed the town under a state of calamity.

La Trinidad suffered severe flooding and landslides due to the combined effects of recent tropical cyclones ‘Crising’, ‘Dante’, and ‘Emong’, as well as the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’.

During its regular session on Tuesday, July 29, the municipal council approved proposed Resolution No. 263-2025, citing damage assessments from the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).

The offices have pegged infrastructure damage at P10.78 million, while damage in agriculture stood at P17.67 million. Officials said these figures may still increase as the town continues to experience rain.

The declaration was likewise recommended after the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA), where all the heads of the 16 barangays in the municipality expressed support for its approval to enable the utilization of their Quick Response Funds (QRFs) for relief, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts.

According to the assessment teams deployed across villages, among the worst-hit barangays include Tawang, Alno, Bahong, Balili, Poblacion, Shilan, and Wangal.

The Strawberry Farm, which is one of the key economic areas of the municipality, was not spared either. It was earlier submerged by floodwaters, destroying crops in the area, including strawberries, broccoli, lettuce, and others.

With more rain expected in the coming days, as shown in the regional weather outlook, authorities are reminding their constituents to stay alert and promptly report damage or emergencies to their respective barangay officials.