Farmers hit by El Niño get aid from City Hall

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government has started distributing farm inputs and other assistance to at least 28 upland barangays that were badly affected by the prevailing El Niño Phenomenon.

City agriculturist Joelito Baclayon said at least 917 farmers have initially received the assistance yesterday that includes 12,000 pouches of fertilizers, 11 water tanks, 150 rolls of water hoses and three water pumps. They were also given vegetable seedlings.

According to Baclayon, the damage brought about by the dry spell was already estimated to reach P32 million. The over 8,000 farmers affected by El Niño earlier requested for water hoses, drums and farm inputs.

A total of 28,000 pouches of fertilizers, 1,600 rolls of hoses, 280 water tanks and 2,800 drums with a capacity of 200 liters will be given to the 28 barangays. Baclayon said the city government has allocated P29.7 million from its calamity funds.

Meanwhile, the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office has reported an initial damage of P5 million to livestock because of the dry spell. PDRRMO chief Baltazar Tribunalo said that the total damage including agricultural crops was already estimated at P196 million as of April 25.

The Damage Assessment Report for Livestock and Poultry in the province of Cebu shows that among the livestock affected by the rising temperature are cattle, carabao, goat, poultry, swine and other large ruminants.

PDRRMO reported that the towns affected include Sibonga, Alcoy, Dalaguete, Argao, Oslob, Pinamungajan, Asturias, Tabuelan, Madridejos, Medellin, Tabogon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar, Compostela, Ginatilan, and Alegria.

The fourth district recorded the highest amount of damage amounting to P172.5 million.

The Capitol has allocated P44.3 million for its action plan to fight the effects of El Niño. The amount was allocated to the Provincial Agriculture Department (P2.82 million), Provincial Veterinary Office (P5.9 million), Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (P10.6 million), PDRRMO (P22.04 million), and the Public Information Office (P230, 000).

"Ang atong unahon lang gyud katong mga grabeng naapektohan nga mga mag-uuma," Tribunalo said. — (FREEMAN)