COST of damage to the agriculture sector of the combined effects of shear line, northeast monsoon and trough of low pressure area has reached P359.75 million, according to the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.
The DA said the damage was recorded in the regions of Davao and Caraga.
The damage as of yesterday is equivalent to 3,368 metric tons (MT) of goods tended by 16,521 farmers in 23,240 hectares (ha) of affected areas, the DA said.
The agency said damage and losses in rice amounted to P311.94 million with affected area at 22,213 ha and volume of production loss at 753 MT while damage and losses for corn amounted to P41.87 million with affected area at 704 ha and volume of production loss at 2,006 MT.
Other sectors that suffered damage are high-value crops at P5.75 million affecting 608 MT from 323 ha of land as well as P202,150 from livestock and poultry equivalent to 28 heads of animals.
The agency added that a total aid package including some P16 million worth of rice, corn, and vegetables as well as concessional loans will be turned over to farmers in the two regions.
The DA also said it will also make available to each affected farmer as much as P25,000 of three-year, zero interest loans from the Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council and assistance through the quick response fund for early recovery and rehabilitation of affected areas.
“We are hopeful that the interventions and assistance we have and will extend to our farmers here in Caraga and in the Davao provinces will mitigate the adverse impact of these weather disturbances on their lives and livelihoods and help in their quick recovery,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., in a statement.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said at least P257.9 million worth of food and non-food relief items have been distributed to those affected by the trough of low pressure area in the Davao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga regions and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Data from the DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center also said that as of 6 a.m. yesterday, 495,536 families or 1.785 million individuals from 893 barangays are affected by the trough which resulted in flooding and landslides in some areas.
A total of 6,649 families or 27,217 individuals have been displaced including 959 families or 4,060 persons who are staying in 33 evacuation centers while 5,690 families or 23,157 are temporarily staying with relatives or friends.
A total of 1,944 houses were damaged. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
