Tuesday
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.