ILOILO CITY (PIA) – Recorded losses in agriculture and fishery sector in Western Visayas due to Severe Tropical Storm (STS) "Paeng" amounts to over P773 million in total as reported during the Full Council Emergency meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 6, Nov. 3.
Based on the report of the Department of Agriculture (DA) 6 as of Nov. 3, the value of damages and losses in agriculture sums up to P394,243,432.97 with 94.14 percent of damage in rice crops and the rest were on other commodities such as high value crops, sugarcane, livestock and poultry, and corn.
The amount of losses also includes other agricultural facilities, machineries, and equipment affected.
Meanwhile, damage on the fishery sector is at P379,405,798.38, affecting some 6,294 fisherfolk in Western Visayas.
Jimmy G. Eledia Jr., focal person for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of DA6, said the activation of 24/7 DRRM Operation Center in close coordination with RDRRMC 6, DA Central Office, DA Western Visayas Operating Units, Provincial Satellite Offices and local government units (LGUs) were done during the onslaught of Paeng.
Eledia said they are continuously monitoring the PAGASA’s forecast and send advisories to muicipal and city agri-
culturists, and report officers through online platforms.
He added that there are still an ongoing deployment of teams for damage assessment, validation of reports, and coordination with the local government units (LGUs) to create an inventory and prepare available interventions for immediate distribution to affected farmers and fishers.
Meantime, affected sectors were also advised to report all their agricultural and fishery losses to their respective municipal agriculture offices to fast track their indemnity claims under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
During the RDRRMC 6 Full Council emergency meeting, which was attended by majority of the members, reports from various government agencies as to the damage assessment, actions taken and projected interventions for early recovery were presented.
On November 2, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation No, 84, series of 2022, placing four regions in the country, to include Western Visayas, under the state of calamity for six months, to hasten and intensify the rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and private sectors. (JBG/AGP/PIA6/DA6 photos)
