MANILA - Deaths from storms Pepeng (international codename Parma) and Ondoy (Ketsana) have increased to 773, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported Friday.

As of 6 a.m. Friday, the NDCC said a total of 419 people have been confirmed killed by landslides and floods caused by Pepeng and 354 more dead due to Ondoy's onslaught.

The NDCC said 333 of the total deaths from Pepeng were recorded from Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), with majority of deaths caused by landslides in Benguet province.

The death toll from the twin storms were expected to increase as the NDCC report showed that there were 88 people still missing from the rubbles and floods.

The NDCC said the storms affected more than 7.4 million people in Metro Manila and five more regions, including CAR, Bicol, Ilocos, Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).

The cost of damage wrought by the two storms on agriculture and infrastructure in the affected regions was estimated at P21.287 billion.

The NDCC said power lines have yet to be restored in several areas in Central Luzon and Ilocos region.

The report said that several towns in Pampanga, Tarlac and Bulacan were still submerged in 1 to 9 feet floodwaters. It added that 7 villages in Pasig City also remained flooded.

The government has announced the pending signing of laws that would address its response during calamities, including the evacuation of thousands of people living in flood and lanslide prone areas.

Both chambers of Congress have also agreed to allot P12 billion in relief funds to boost the government's rehabilitation efforts for areas devastated by the two storms.