We have one of the worst floods in years. Almost all of Western Luzon is under water. While Typhoon Gloring is leaving to the NE (1,500 kms. away) and merely skirted the Philippines sucking in the SW monsoon causing the precipitation, there is a new typhoon (Phyllis is the international name for Gloring and the new typhoon is named Tess) also about 1,500 kms. east of Phyllis or Gloring. So we expect the rains to continue.
Our Helicopters flew rescue and relief missions following the national highway. But visibility is zero and the Clark Field helicopters did not fly.
Even trucks could not move because some parts of the road like Carmen, Rosales and Dinalupihan are under four feet of water.
Malacañan is under water. The Heroes Hall and the entrance are under one foot of water.
I attach the reports.
Even Madame Tatyana Nikolaeva had to ride in a Sierra Lakes comby, to come to the palace for a courtesy call and for lunch.
As of now 166 are dead from the flood and all our rice plantings are a complete loss in Central Luzon the rice granary.
Official Gazette for July 19, 1972: THE PRESIDENT ordered non-stop rescue and relief operations, including the use of all available craft and equipment from the Armed Forces.
In addition, the President released ₱3 million more for emergency operations as he kept himself posted on the extent of damage from reports of the National Disaster Coordinating Council and aerial surveys conducted by Cabinet members and Presidential aides.
The President appealed to all citizens to stay in their homes unless pressing business require their presence outside.
The President sent helicopters to rescue missions in Pangasinan, Tarlac, and Pampanga, three of the hardest hit provinces because of the bursting of the dikes in these area.
The President placed the four departments—Department of National Defense, Department of Social Welfare, Department of Health and Department of Public Works and Communications—on a 24-hour duty.
He also directed the NDCC to acknowledge and make arrangements for the dispatch of vehicles such as helicopters and amphibian trucks being offered by various sources, so that these could be utilized fully for the relief and rehabilitation effort.
Early in the afternoon, the President and the First Lady honored at luncheon Madame Tatyana Nikolaeva, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, who arrived in Manila for a 10-day visit as representative of the Union of Soviet Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with other countries.
The President worked on official papers and followed up relief and rescue operations in the evening.
One of the worst flooding in the Philippines occurred in July 1972 when it rained non-stop for about 30 days beginning with typhoon “Edeng” on July 6, 1972 followed by supertyphoon “Gloring” that stayed for about ten days and in its tail brought her sisters, typhoons: Huaning, Isang, and Konsing.
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