ARMM seeks emergency funds as drought hits 84 cities, towns

COTABATO, Philippines — Drought brought by El Niño has affected a third of the cities and towns in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the national government has yet to release emergency funds to help, a regional official said.

In a briefing to reporters on Thursday, the province said El Niño has affected 84 of the 118 cities and towns in the region.

The most widely affected provinces are Maguindanao, where all 36 towns have been hit, and Basilan, where nine of 11 local government units have reported that they have been affected by El Niño.

The regional government also said the following areas have been "severely affected":

Maguindanao

Ampatuan
Buldon
Barira
South Upi
North Upi
Montawal
Shariff Aguak
Pagalungan
Datu Piang
Shariff Saydona Mustapha

Lanao del Sur

Poona Bayabao
Taraka
Wao

The drought has so far affected 25, 381 farmers in Maguindanao alone, with 34, 509 farmers across the region.

The drought has affected 19,359 hectares of farmland and has caused an estimated P178.5 million in damage, with Maguindanao losing the most at P138.6 million.

The region has responded with relief distribution, feeding programs and financial assistance, ARMM Executive Secretary Laisa Masuhud-Alamia said it has had to do so with regional funds.

She said national government agencies have yet to release quick response funds set aside for calamities.

Aside from the drought, the regional government also has to assist residents affected by fighting in parts of Maguindanao and in Basilan, where the government has launched an all-out offensive against the Abu Sayyaf group.

"So far, since last year, wala pa pong naibabang pondo ang national line agencies... mula sa kanilang Quick Response Fund o QRF na sinasabi para sa El Niño," she told reporters.

In particular, she said, the region has asked the central Department of Agriculture to release part of its QRF to help farmers in the ARMM.

"We have already sent two letters since last year pa yata, nung naset up ang El Niño Task Force sa loob ng DA, requesting for assistance para rito sa ARMM para rin maka-access tayo sa services na iyon, and so far wala pang response," she said.

In news releases, the Department of Agriculture said it has been conducting cloud seeding in areas of Mindanao to induce rain, with some success reported in Northern Mindanao.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala also said last week that the government had acted to prepare the agricultural sector for El Niño.

“When PAGASA declared a mild El Niño in 2015, the DA immediately provided P2.666 billion worth of El Niño mitigation assistance to the agriculture sector," he said after thousands of farmers rallied in Kidapawan City in late March.

Investigations into the violent dispersal of that rally are ongoing.

He also said that "P979.9 million worth of assistance to farmers, including the provision for water pumps" was released from January to March.

On Thursday, reelectionist Sen. Ralph Recto urged Malacañang to release the Quick Response Funds approved by Congress to address El Niño.

"As its name denotes, it’s for quick release. An emergency fund that is already prepositioned with the agencies for rapid use," he said.

He said that the DA and the National Irrigation Authority have P500 million each in QRF.

"Dito hindi na masalimuot ang pag-gasta. Kaya kung may QRF ang isang ahensya, walang rason na dapat maantala ang tulong," he said.