by Jel Santos, MB
The agricultural damage caused by Typhoons “Maymay” and “Neneng” has reached P583.45 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) bared on Friday, Oct. 21.
Per the DA’s Bulletin No. 5, the areas covered in the estimate are Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, and Cagayan Valley, devastating 21,986 hectares of agricultural areas.
Around 21,324 farmers and fishers have been affected by Maymay and Neneng.
The agriculture department pegged the production loss at 36,872 metric tons.
Rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and poultry, and fisheries are among the commodities affected, the DA said.
The agriculture department explained that the values of damage and losses for Maymay and Neneng have been combined as the “two tropical cyclones occurred in a span of one week and affected the same agricultural areas in CAR, Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley.”
According to the DA, it is constantly coordinating with concerned national government agencies, local government units, and other disaster risk reduction and management-related offices on the impact of tropical cyclones, as well as available resources for interventions and assistance.
Mobile Kadiwa centers are being prepared for deployment in areas impacted by Maymay and Neneng in order to stabilize agri-fishery commodity prices and supply, it added.
Here is the list of aid made available by the DA for affected farmers and fishers:
- Rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds
- Drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry
- Fingerlings and assistance to affected fisherfolk from Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
- Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest
- Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas
