Western Visayas’ agricultural losses due to bad weather reach over P356 million

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has reported that the Western Visayas region suffered agricultural losses exceeding P356 million due to severe weather conditions triggered by the southwest monsoon and aggravated by Super Typhoon Goring (Saola) and Severe Tropical Storm Hanna (Haikui).

The DA said 11,357 fisherfolk and farmers were affected by bad weather conditions throughout the region.

Some 11,590 hectares of crop areas were affected. 925.54 hectares of the affected crop areas were destroyed for good.

Negros Occidental suffered the most with 4,200.59 hectares of affected crop areas. 

Goring started from a low-pressure area off Cagayan on Thursday, August 24. Shortly after it left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on August 30, Hanna entered and exacerbated the effects of the southwest monsoon in the region.

Six municipalities in Western Visayas have been put under a state of calamity. These include the municipalities of Pototan and Leganes of Iloilo province, Sibalom in Antique, and San Enrique in Negros Occidental. 

The local governments of Bacolod City and Bago City have also declared a state of calamity.

A report from the Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD VI) confirmed on Monday, September 4, the death of an eight-year-old girl who drowned after attempting to cross a river in Valderrama town in Antique.

The OCD-VI also said another from the province of Iloilo went missing.

Some 102,508 families or 380,851 persons were affected by the severe weather conditions brought about by the super typhoon. 

Only 157 families or 510 persons of the total count were served inside 13 emergency centers while 13 families or 56 persons were served outside of the emergency centers.

Most of the affected residents came from Iloilo province with the tally reaching 184,727 individuals. 

Negros Occidental’s count was at 134,900 affected individuals, while Antique and Guimaras were at 55,804 and 5,405 affected individuals respectively.

Only 15 persons were affected in Aklan. A total of 1,113 houses were reportedly damaged all over the region.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. has directed the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) to help in road clearing and rescue operations in affected areas.

Meanwhile, Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao visited evacuation centers in Tobias Fornier, Hamtic, and Patnongon and assured affected residents that they would receive cash assistance from the provincial government. 

As of Monday, September 4, the national government has distributed P45.58 million worth of food and non-food aid to affected residents all over the country. – Rappler.com