The government has confirmed an increase of almost half a billion pesos in damage to the farm and fishery sectors caused by lingering effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla said on Friday that the confirmed total crop damage stands at P8.4 billion, or higher than the official P8 billion figure recorded early this month.
“We are still in the process of validating the rest,” Fondevilla said on the sidelines of the Agricultural Guarantee Fund Pool Awards rites.
He added that the P8.4 billion has been validated, comparing it to the reported P11.95 billion damage reported three weeks ago.
Rice and corn, Fondevilla said, accounted for more than half of the damage, while fish and high-value commercial crops made up the remaining amount.
But the Agriculture chief added that they “are not closing doors” on the possibility that the aggregated damage could actually reach P11.95 billion.
“We still have to take into account that the harvest season has just started. Thus, until it ends we cannot really say how serious the damage suffered by our farmers and fisherfolk,” he explained.
Fondevilla said that the farm sector is likely to contract, provided an estimate of P11.95 billion in crop damage was accurate.
“If it is verified, then contraction is likely for this quarter, and the damage could even be carried over in the succeeding quarters,” he added.
The P11.95-billion estimate was up by almost two folds from the initial figure of P3.77 billion made on February 16.
But Fondevilla clarified that this report is still under evaluation by the department and that they would release the official report on crop damage by end-May.
The crop damage is within the P8 billion to P20-billion range forecast made by the Agriculture department earlier. The agency said that a severe dry spell would cost P20 billion in lost harvest.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration maintained that this year’s El Niño would likely be moderate.
“We are still within the moderate dry spell, and the projections are still within the government’s target. We are expecting the [El Niño] impact to ease in the coming months,” Fondevilla said. –Katrina Mennen A. Valdez, Manila Times
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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