By Roy Ramos

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines

A state of emergency was declared in Cotabato after 25 of 37 villages were flooded following three weeks of heavy rainfall, state-run Philippine News Agency reported Wednesday.

Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said the city council passed the resolution for the status to allow the release of funds needed for relief operations to more than 100,000 residents and later to rebuild the southern city.

Cotabato is home to approximately 300,000 residents and is traversed by tributaries of the Mindanao River --the second largest river system in the country, and many other large rivers that connect to the 220,000-hectare Liguasan Delta in the upper valley of central Mindanao.

The Liguasan Delta is a catch basin for dozens of large rivers that spring from nearby hinterlands in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, North Cotabato and South Cotabato.

The Mindanao Development Authority was tasked with finding a solution to the perennial flooding in Cotabato and other nearby towns.

It has already developed plans that are awaiting approval from Public Works and Highways department.