Initial agricultural damage due to Jolina pegged at P180M —DA

The initial estimated damage to the agriculture sector due to Tropical Storm Jolina has reached more than P100 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday.

“Based on initial assessment, damage and losses have been reported on rice in Eastern Visayas amounting to P179.57 million affecting 61,828 farmers with volume of production loss at 8,855 metric tons and 52,608 hectares of agricultural areas,” the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (DA-DRRM OpCen) said in a bulletin.

The values are still subject to validation, DA-DRRM OpCen said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was raised over 15 areas on Wednesday as Severe Tropical Storm Jolina (international name: Conson) maintained its strength while moving northwestward over Batangas, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

The areas under TCWS No. 2, where damaging gale-force to storm-force winds are prevailing or expected within 24 hours, are the following:

• Marinduque;
• the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Bansud, Gloria, Pinamalayan, Pola, Socorro, Victoria, Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, City of Calapan, Naujan);
• the northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Abra de Ilog, Paluan, Mamburao, Santa Cruz, Sablayan);
• Lubang Islands;
• the central and southern portions of Quezon (General Luna, Macalelon, Sampaloc, Unisan, Pagbilao, Sariaya, Alabat, Pitogo, City of Tayabas, Padre Burgos, Lucban, Gumaca, Agdangan, Plaridel, San Antonio, Candelaria, Atimonan, Quezon, Tiaong, Mauban, Perez, Lucena City, Dolores, Real, Infanta);
• Batangas;
• Cavite;
• Laguna;
• Rizal;
• Metro Manila;
• the southern portion of Bulacan (Pandi, Bulacan, Marilao, Calumpit, Norzagaray, Plaridel, Santa Maria, Balagtas, Bocaue, Bustos, City of Malolos, Angat, Obando, City of San Jose del Monte, Pulilan, City of Meycauayan, Hagonoy, Paombong, Guiguinto, San Rafael, Baliuag);
• Pampanga;
• Bataan;
• Zambales; and
• Tarlac.

TCWS No. 1, where strong winds are prevailing or are expected within 36 hours, was raised over the following areas:

• La Union;
• the southern portion of Benguet (Sablan, Tublay, Bokod, La Trinidad, Baguio City, Itogon, Tuba, Kapangan, Atok);
• the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Aritao, Santa Fe, Kayapa);
• the southern portion of Aurora (Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis, Dingalan);
• Pangasinan;
• Nueva Ecija;
• the rest of Bulacan;
• the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands;
• Camarines Norte;
• the western portion of Camarines Sur (Ragay, Del Gallego, Lupi, Sipocot, Cabusao, Libmanan, Pasacao, Pamplona);
• the western portion of Romblon (Odiongan, Romblon, Banton, Santa Maria, Concepcion, San Andres, San Jose, Looc, Ferrol, Alcantara, San Agustin, Calatrava, Corcuera, Santa Fe);
• the rest of Oriental Mindoro; and
• and the rest of Occidental Mindoro

Jolina made landfall over San Juan, Batangas at 9 a.m., PAGASA said.

The DA said the following assistance from the government are available to farmers and fisherfolk affected by “Jolina”:

• Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas
• Rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds from affected regions
• Drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry needs
• Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC)
• Available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to indemnify affected farmers

“The DA-DRRM Operations Center will continuously provide updates regarding Jolina,” the DA said. -MDM, GMA News