Florita damage to agriculture now at P1.13B —DRRM

Damage to agriculture from the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Florita has increased to over a billion pesos.

Data released by the Department of Agriculture’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (DRRM) showed that the estimated

damage and losses rose to P1.13 billion from P19.10 million reported earlier. 

“The increase in overall damage and losses is due to additional reports on rice, corn, high value crops, and livestock in all affected regions,” the DA-DRRM said in a bulletin issued as of August 26, 2022.

The weather disturbance affected 6,647 farmers, with volume of production loss at 66,633 metric tons (MT) and 44,922 hectares of agricultural areas in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Bicol Region.

Affected commodities include rice, corn, high value crops, livestock and poultry.

These values are subject to validation, the DA-DRRM said.

The agency said that the DA, through its Regional Field Offices (RFOs), is conducting assessment of damage and losses brought by Florita in the agri-fisheries sector.

The DA continuously coordinates with concerned national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and other DRRM-related offices for the impact of the typhoon as well as available resources for interventions and assistance, the agency said.

The DA-DRRM said the following assistance are available for distribution to affected farmers and fishers:

• 69,046 bags of rice seeds, 3,840 bags of corn seeds, and 600 kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds from affected regions
• Drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry
• Fingerlings and assistance to affected fisherfolk from Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
• Survival and Recovery (SURE) Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC)
• Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas

The DA-DRRM said it will continuously provide updates regarding the damage caused by Florita.

Florita exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning. —LBG, GMA News