Damage to agriculture in Central Luzon hits P1.1B

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The southwest monsoon that wrought havoc in the last three days damaged some P1.095 billion worth of crops, livestock and fishery products in Central Luzon.

Based on the initial assessment report of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), the amount covered damage to rice, corn, high- value crops, livestock and fisheries in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Zambales.

OCD regional director Josefina Timoteo said that the figures were only partial as the other provinces have yet to submit their reports.

The fisheries sector reported the biggest loss of P691.63 million due to damaged fishponds and fish cages. Pampanga was hard hit with P601.067 million, followed by Bulacan with P72.67 million and Zambales with P17.89 million.

The crops in the three provinces were also affected by massive flooding with an estimated P371.75-million loss.

The initial damage in the rice sector was pegged at P371.27 million, with Pampanga suffering most at P233.98 million; Bulacan at P121.54 million and Zambales at P15.75 million.

The estimated damage in the corn sector in Pampanga alone was valued at P76.74 million.

Damage to high-value crops such as vegetables in the three provinces totaled P22.27 million with Pampanga at P11.97 million, Bulacan at P7.89 million and Zambales at P2.41 million.

The total damage in the livestock sector was pegged at P10.25 million, with an estimated loss in Zambales at P7.57 million, followed by Bulacan at P2.45 million and Pampanga at P288,500.

Agriculture officials expect these numbers to rise as reports would come this week.

Andrew Villacorta, regional director of the Department of Agriculture, said they were still awaiting updated reports from various provinces and towns in the region.

Villacorta said the reports will be validated and would include a master list of all affected farmers in the region needing assistance.

source: interaksyon.com

Floods cause P152.13-M initial damage to agriculture - DA

MANILA - The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday placed at P152.13 million initial damage to agriculture affecting some 25,958 hectares of farm lands in 20 provinces in Luzon and the Visayas -- Regions 1, 2, 3, 6, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

This was attributed to typhoon "Gener" and the southwest monsoon.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Joel Rudinas, in a report submitted to DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, said the rice sector incurred the biggest loss valued at P131.49 million planted to 24,780 hectares in 18 provinces.

Rudina, however, said most of the affected crops were in the seedling/vegetative stage and with chance to recover.

Deemed lost were placed at 3,355 metric tons (MT) of palay from the 3,902 hectares in reproductive/maturity stage.

"Only 1,904 hectares were completely damaged while 22,876 hectares have chance to recover," said Rudinas.

Cagayan Province suffered the biggest loss valued at P36 million, followed by Pampanga at P32 million, Bulacan at P26 million, and Bataan at P14 million.

For the corn sector, initial damage was valued at P7.74 million affecting some 1,035 hectares in six provinces, which are mostly with chances of recovery.

Deemed lost were some 666 MT corn from the 574 hectares in reproductive stage.

Rudinas said most affected were the provinces of Cagayan and Kalinga. Around 20 hectares were reported completely damaged.

On the other hand, damage to high value crops was placed at P10.62 million and fisheries at P2.28 million.

Rudinas said high value crops damage were reported in Benguet, La Union and Pangasinan provinces with total volume at 733 MT planted to 143 hectares.

However, he said of the total areas affected for the high value crops, only one hectare was "with no chance to recover."

Meanwhile, Rudinas said effects to fisheries were reported in the provinces of Pangasinan and Cagayan due to damaged fishponds and fish cages.

He said the DA is continuing to gather reports with concerned local government units (LGUs) on production losses as well as damage to infrastructures that are caused by the on-going southwest monsoon.

source: interaksyon.com

ADVISORY: Passport application schedule extended to August 15 due to rains, floods

MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA) on Wednesday extended its schedule for passport applicants who were unable to file their applications today due to the heavy rains brought by southwest monsoon (habagat).

"In view of the continuing inclement weather brought about by heavy rains, the DFA-OCA is suspending its passport and other consular operations today, August 8, from 3 p.m. onwards," it said.

"Passport applicants, scheduled on August 7 (Tuesday) and today, August 8 (Wednesday), who were unable to file their applications, may come to the DFA-OCA at anytime and have their passports processed this entire week until Wednesday next week, August 15," it added.

The DFA-OCA advised passport applicants to bring their appointment slips with them.

source: interaksyon.com