MANILA – Super Typhoon Julian has affected 33,110 farmers and left more than PHP 600 million in agricultural damage, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday.
“Based on the assessment of DA Regional Field Offices (RFOs) in Cordillera, Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon, damage and losses have been reported in rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock & poultry, irrigation, and agricultural facilities amounting to PHP607.38 million,” the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center said in its update.
The rice sector incurred the highest loss equivalent to 21,875 metric tons (MT) amounting to PHP427.65 million.
Majority of the damage in rice production were reported in Ilocos Norte, followed by Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Pangasinan, and Pampanga.
Damage to agri-infrastructure followed at PHP92.68 million for damaged irrigation facilities and PHP13.22 million for other farm structures, in Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Mountain Province, and Isabela.
The corn industry also reported around PHP38.95 million worth of loss; followed by high-value crops at PHP31.13 million; and PHP3.76 million in livestock and poultry.
The DA-DRRM assured the availability of PHP166.67 million worth of agricultural inputs like rice, corn, and vegetable seeds for distribution; PHP25,000 loanable amount payable for three years with zero interest per farmer; and indemnification fund for insured farmers through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
91.8K families affected
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) also reported that the number of families affected by the powerful typhoon has climbed to 91,871.
The disaster response body’s latest situation update said the figure, which is equivalent to 317,671 persons, are from 950 villages in the Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
As of this time, only three families or around nine persons are being aided in two evacuation centers while another 21 families or 102 individuals are being helped outside.
The Office of Civil Defense earlier said affected families include those displaced and those not needing transfer or removal from their residence.
The death toll stands at five – four from Ilocos region and one in Cagayan Valley – all of whom have been validated.
Eight persons were also injured in Cagayan Valley while one persons was reported missing in the Cordillera.
Some 2,548 houses were damaged in these three regions.
Meanwhile, the cost of damage to infrastructure was estimated at PHP934.4 million. (With Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
