ILOILO – Torrential rains triggered by the enhanced habagat (southwest monsoon) and two tropical cyclones have caused more than P2.2 million in agricultural losses in Iloilo province, devastating farmlands and threatening the livelihood of over a hundred farmers, data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) revealed.
As of July 24, the hardest-hit crop was rice, with damage reported in the municipalities of Tubungan, Lambunao, Pototan, Leganes, San Miguel, San Joaquin, and Oton.
A total of 102.04 hectares of rice fields were affected — 76.20 hectares declared totally damaged and 25.84 hectares partially damaged — resulting in an estimated loss of P2,091,766.28.
The damage affected 105 rice farmers, most of whose crops were in the newly planted to reproductive stage.
Corn farms in Concepcion town were also affected, with 11.45 hectares partially damaged and losses estimated at P164,215.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. emphasized the province’s shift in strategy from post-disaster financial assistance to proactive risk mitigation through crop insurance.
“Our frontline response now — well, we used to give assistance, like cash assistance, but we adjusted starting last year. Instead of giving after-the-fact financial assistance, which we can still provide, we now give assistance for crop insurance premium. And we are spending a lot of resources on that. And we have that in our budget — qualified farmers have insurance,” he said.
“They get more from insurance than from financial assistance after the disaster. That’s the adjustment we made to make them resilient,” he added.
On top of that, Defensor said, the provincial government assists through subsidies.
“The province, together with the Department of Agriculture, provides production-level support. We subsidize seeds, farm implements, even fertilizers—as long as we are capable,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has also directed its agencies to prepare assistance for farmers and fisherfolk affected by Tropical Storm “Crising” and the enhanced habagat. Preliminary estimates show that damage across Western Visayas and Mimaropa has reached P53 million, affecting more than 2,099 farmers tilling over 2,400 hectares of land.
While Western Visayas may not be directly in the path of current tropical cyclones within the Philippine Area of Responsibility, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned of intermittent rains due to the continued enhancement of the Southwest Monsoon./PN
