The two storms Barang and Krising have caused severe damage and loss of lives specially in Isabela, Cagayan and other provinces to the North. At the same time Krising which, strangely enough came from the West South West and was possibly caused by Barang being stationary after it left the Philippines causing huge tidal waves and sucking the Southwest monsoon winds towards the direction of Lubang Island which was thus hit first by the tidal waves the other day (some 12 feet high) and then by storm Krising, has just left us but the weather is still foul, rainy and dark.
Our Natural Disaster Operations center is in full operation. I am sending Sec. [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] on a swing to the various areas—Isabela and Lubang.
And the calamity fund of about P5 million is being prepared.
We are now seriously concerned on the damage to our rice crops—and other agricultural products. All the sugar in Negros have lodged and we may lose 5% of the crop.
Official Gazette for October 12, 1971: President Marcos summoned Agriculture Undersecretary and concurrent RCA Chairman Jose Drilon, Jr. to Malacañang following receipt of reports that commercial rice had disappeared from the market and that unless a steady supply of the cereal is maintained the price of the cereal might unduly go up.
The President inquired into the general rice situation, particularly in view of the series of typhoons which hit the country the past few days. Secretary Drilon informed the President that the typhoons had hampered RCA operations causing a reduction in the volume of RCA rice injected into the market as well as slowed down the unloading from the ships of imported rice. Two vessels with a shipment of 320,000 cavans of Thai rice had arrived but could not be unloaded immediately because of the strong winds.
The President directed Secretary Drilon to watch closely the unloading of the imported rice from the ships and to get the cereal to the consumers as fast as possible.
Among other actions, the President released P600,000 from the calamity fund for relief and rehabilitation of typhoon ravaged provinces. In releasing the amount, the President also directed Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. to expedite the disbursement of the share of Isabela province, which was reported as the worst hit by the typhoons. The other places that benefitted from the fund release were the Greater Manila area, Baguio City, and the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, Occidental Mincloro, Cavite, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Bulacan, Palawan, Rizal, Nueva Vizcaya, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
During the day, the President received some national and local officials, among whom were Senator Helena Benitez, Mayor Macario Asistio of Caloocan City, and Public Service Commissioner Filomeno Kintanar.