President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the infrastructure and agriculture damage and losses resulting from the effects of the southwest monsoon rains and flash floods have exceeded P4 billion.
The President, in a media briefing in Washington, Tuesday, said the P4 billion included agricultural losses of at least P135 million. The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center, however said, in its 9 am advisory on Wednesday, July 23 (in Manila), that validated data on agricultural losses has reached P323.15 million.
The President said in mixed Filipino and English that he and his officials “have been watching it (disaster relief operations) from the start since we have left. We spent most of the morning going through this to try and make sure – it looks like the responses of our teams are good.”
He said the initial cost of damage has exceeded P4 billion, with the damage to infrastructure estimated at P4.007 billion and to agriculture, at least P134.655 million.
He said much of the initial damage in agriculture and crops were reported in the Mimaropa region at around P133 million. He expected the cost to go up as “the incident is not yet over.”
12 DAY BUFFER RICE STOCK
As this developed, Malacañang assured the public, on Wednesday, of enough rice supply as latest reports showed that the current buffer stock in the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses would only be good for 12 days.
Palace Press officer Claire Castro, in a briefing, clarified that the NFA has already prepositioned and distributed thousands of rice-filled sacks to areas affected by the southwest monsoon and those hit by Tropical Storm Crising and Dante.
Castro said the remaining NFA rice stocks have been made available for release to local government units (LGUs) and relief agencies when needed.
She also assured the public that the rice stocks were not damaged in the heavy rains and floods. She said NFA rice has remained safe to eat, including those distributed by agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“The NFA says that the it is super secure in terms of buffer stock. We have enough stocks to last for 12 days, the whole Philippines can eat,” Castro added.
With the monsoon unleashing heavy rains and spawning floods in many parts of the country, Tropical Storm Dante and Tropical Depression “Emong” have been exacerbating rains in Luzon and parts of Visayas, and are expected to do so until Monday, July 27.
FARM DAMAGE, LOSSES
Validated agriculture losses of P323.15 million, as of Wednesday, were 48.6 percent higher than the P217.50 million recorded as of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the DA DRROMC said.
The DA-attached agency said the damage affected 14,772 farmers in 15,868 hectares, and involved the loss of 10,595 metric tons (MT) of agricultural produce and inputs.
Palay losses have so far reached 6,703 metric tons worth P212.60 million in 14,842 hectares, while losses of high value crops have reached 2,977 metric tons worth P82.63 million in 581 hectares, the DA said.
Corn losses have reached 903 metric tons worth P22.13 million in 439 hectares, while the livestock sector have lost 965 heads of chicken, swine, cattle, carabaos, goat, ducks, sheep, turkey and guinea fowl worth P5.33 million, the DA said.
So far, 12 metric tons of cassava valued at P353,080 in 6 hectares have been recorded lost, apart from a P45,000-damage to farm machinery and equipment.
An additional P15,000-damage to irrigation systems was reported, but overall losses in the fisheries and aquatic resources sector remained at P44,950 worth of tilapia and milkfish fingerlings, a motorized boat and a fishpond dike.
The DA said the latest validated data came from the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas and Socckskargen, and were expected to rise in its ongoing field assessment and validation.
DA Spokesperson Arnel de Mesa told reporters in a virtual briefing on Wednesday, that the DA saw no reason for food traders to hike prices, especially those for rice and vegetables.
He added that those who were not able to harvest before the storms “can easily recover.”
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. also ordered Officer-in-charge and Operations Undersecretary Roger Navarro and Undersecretary Chris Morales, who oversees the country’s National Rice Program, to immediately visit areas devastated by Crising provide urgent support to affected farmers and fisherfolk.
The DA also reiterated that they have been distributing P495.4 million worth of agricultural inputs, including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, to affected farmers, apart from various forms of aid from the Quick Response Funds for rehabilitation, Survival and Recovery Loans, and indemnification through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.
