EL Niño agriculture damage balloons to P3.94 billion

MANILA, Philippines — Damage to the agriculture sector due to El Niño has reached P3.94 billion, covering 66,065 hectares and affecting 73,713 farmers and fisherfolk, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing yesterday, DA Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said Mimaropa was hardest hit, with losses reaching P1.7 billion, followed by Western Visayas with P800 million.

Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan suffered the biggest losses in Mimaropa.

The Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Zamboanga peninsula, Davao and Soccsksargen are the other regions affected by El Niño.

“Potential production losses from 66,065 hectares affected by the dry spell are estimated at 98,243 metric tons for palay, 40,195 MT for corn and 24,102 MT for high-value crops,” the DA said. 

Damage to palay production reached P2.36 billion, covering 43,659 hectares, followed by high-value crops, P868.84 million, covering 4,199 hectares; corn, P669.44 million, covering 18,201 hectares; fisheries, P33.83 million affecting 2,261 fisherfolk; livestock, P6.95 million, and cassava, P497,900.

The DA said it has provided assistance to affected farmers worth P1.09 billion, including support for production, financial and livelihood assistance and water management.

 Affected farmers and fisherfolk in Cagayan Valley and Calabarzon received financial assistance worth P1.06 billion.

State of calamity

Amid the El Niño-induced drought, Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental and Sta. Catalina in Negros Oriental were placed under a state of calamity on Thursday.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Kabankalan adopted the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for the state of calamity declaration.

Damage to agriculture in 13 barangays reached P41.9 million. At least 1,214 farmers were affected.

In Negros Occidental, damage to crops was placed at P184.7 million.

The Negros Oriental provincial agriculturist office assured farmers in Sta. Catalina of financial assistance aside from tractors as well as rice and corn harvesters.

Emergency loan for GSIS members

State-run pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has allocated P2.5 billion in emergency loan for members and pensioners affected by El Niño in Occidental Mindoro and the pertussis outbreak in Cavite.

A state of calamity was declared in Occidental Mindoro last month due to drought.

Latest data showed that 59 cases of pertussis, including eight deaths, were reported in Cavite. 

GSIS members who have existing emergency loans may borrow up to P40,000 to pay off their previous balance to receive the maximum amount of P20,000.

Those with no existing emergency loan obligations, including pensioners, may apply for a loan of P20,000. — Louise Maureen Simeon, Gilbert Bayoran