Monsoon leaves P14.6 million agri damage in Ifugao

MANILA, Philippines — Flash floods spawned by the southwest monsoon or habagat have destroyed P14.6 million worth of agriculture in Ifugao province, authorities said yesterday.

Data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed the bad weather affected 684 farmers and 198 hectares of agricultural lands.

Production losses reached 728 metric tons, the DA said, adding that rice and high-value crops were the most affected commodities.

Authorities have yet to determine the amount of losses for these crops.

The DA – through its regional field offices – is still assessing the extent of damage and losses caused by the monsoon to the province’s agri-fishery sector.

“The DA continuously coordinates with concerned local government units and other disaster risk reduction and management offices to mitigate the impact of habagat. We are also looking for available resources for interventions and assistance,” the agency said.

It said farmers and fishermen would be provided rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds as well as medicine and biologics for their livestock and poultry.

For loan assistance, affected farmers and fishermen may tap the survival and recovery program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council or any available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

A quick response fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas will also be made available to affected farmers and fishermen, the DA said.

1,000 families displaced

More than 1,000 families were affected by the mudslides that hit nine barangays in Banaue, Ifugao following a heavy downpour on Thursday.

Reports from the municipal social welfare and development office (MSWDO) showed the bad weather displaced more than 3,000 people.

More than 1,000 houses were destroyed in the flash floods that hit the villages, according to Aguinaya Cabanayan, MSWDO chief.

Local officials have yet to determine the amount of damage to infrastructure, livestock and vehicles that were carried away by the rampaging floodwaters.

Among the severely affected villages were Amganad, Bocos, Gohang, Poblacion, Poitan, Tam-an and Viewpoint.

Several rice terraces in Barangay Poitan and nearby villages were destroyed in the landslides.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed 1,500 food packs to the affected families.

The local government received relief goods donated by different state agencies, individuals as well as private organizations for distribution to affected families.

Lack of drainage

Meanwhile, Bishop Valentin Dimoc of the Bontoc-Lagawe Diocese expressed belief that the lack of a proper drainage system could have contributed to the flash floods triggered by the monsoon.

Dimoc appealed to the government to improve the drainage system in the province so that water coming from the mountains would flow directly to the rivers and tributaries.

“There are insufficient waterways. Water coming from the mountains flowed through the homes. There are also no canals along the roadside,” Dimoc said.

He said there were also houses built on top of some waterways.

Dimoc said the diocese’s social action office headed by Fr. Apol Dulawan has assessed the situation of the communities and visited the affected families. – Victor Martin, Evelyn Macairan