Maguindanao del Sur Declares State of Calamity Amidst Widespread Flooding

COTABATO CITY – The provincial board of Maguindanao del Sur has declared a state of calamity following severe flooding that has affected the majority of its municipalities, impacting over 60,000 families and submerging 123 villages.

According to Philippines News Agency, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer, the decision came after the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recommended the declaration to enable the use of calamity funds. This administrative move follows days of continuous light to heavy rainfall, which has left 17 of the 24 towns in Maguindanao del Sur underwater.

Maguindanao Sur, situated at the northern edge of the Liguasan Marsh, often serves as a natural catch basin for runoff water from neighboring provinces such as Bukidnon, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato. This geographic positioning frequently exposes the area to flooding, particularly during periods of sustained heavy rainfall.

The flooding has already resulted in at least one fatality—a 22-year-old man who drowned in Barangay Damalasak, Pagalungan town, while attempting to rescue his cow. The provincial office reported that the full extent of damage to properties, agriculture, and livestock is still being assessed.