MANILA – The combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat,” and Super Typhoon Carina have left around PHP4.73 billion worth of agricultural damage in the country, the Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center said Thursday.
Based on the DA’s DRRM final bulletin, around 137,999 farmers and fishers were reportedly affected in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.
Overall, the highest damage was incurred in irrigation facilities amounting to PHP1.64 billion; followed by the damage in rice production worth PHP1.08 billion, or 18,629 metric tons (MT) in terms of volume; and fisheries with damage pegged at PHP783.96 million affecting 8,395 fishers.
The high-value crops sector incurred 19,969 MT in losses, amounting to PHP691.62 million; PHP469.45 million for 18,170 MT in corn; PHP38.26 million for the loss of 25,855 livestock and poultry heads; PHP12 million for 472 MT of cassava; PHP4.44 million worth of damage in agri or farm infrastructure; and PHP4.01 million worth of damage in machinery and equipment.
The DA, meanwhile, assured adequate intervention to all affected farmers and fishers alongside close collaboration with the local government units (LGUs) for necessary assessment.
“Best possible efforts are also being undertaken to carry out assistance and appropriate interventions to the affected farmers and fisherfolk,” the DA-DRRM said in a statement.
To date, available assistance for distribution includes PHP301.72 million worth of rice and corn seedlings, PHP17.63 million worth of vegetable seeds, PHP6.31 million worth of biocontrol measure, fingerlings, fishing gear, and other paraphernalia from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and zero-interest loans and indemnification through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council’s Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) indemnification program. (PNA)
