President Ferdinand Marcos declared the successive weather systems hitting the Philippines as the "new normal," urging citizens to adapt.
This is after his assessment amid ongoing torrential rains and massive flooding in the country, during a situation briefing with key government officials on Thursday.
''This is not an extraordinary situation anymore. Do not think of it as a special situation, this is... I hate to use the overused phrase but this is the new normal. Ganito na talaga ang buhay natin kahit ano pa ang gawin natin,'' Marcos said.
He further emphasized that tropical cyclones are "inevitable" and the public should adjust accordingly.
"We just have to change the way we think. Everything was different from what it was in the last 40 years,'' Marcos said.
As of Thursday morning, 40 cities and municipalities in the country has now declared a state of calamity due to recent typhoons and monsoon.
This includes the entirety of Cavite province, Metro Manila, as well as 17 areas in other provinces.
As of now, over 2.7 million people across various regions have been affected, experiencing floods, landslides, and structural damage.
