President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rejected the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to place the entire country under a state of calamity due to Severe Tropical Storm "Paeng".

In a press conference in Noveleta, Cavite on Monday, Marcos said heavy damage was limited to some areas.

"The damage was highly localized. We’re talking about the east coast of Quezon, here in Cavite, and then Maguindanao," Marcos said.

He noted other areas, which were affected by Paeng such as the Visayas, Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions did not register "extensive damage".

"I think we will focus better if we stay with the calamity status as we have now," Marcos said.

Last Saturday, the NDRMMC recommended to Marcos to declare a one-year national state of calamity to areas, which were hit by ''Paeng'' to recover.

The declaration would have allowed local government units (LGU) to use their calamity funds.

At least 90 persons, majority of which were in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, were reported to have died from ''Paeng''. DMS