As the rice harvest approaches in the last week of September, farmers in Barangay Lanas, Mangaldan, Pangasinan are struggling to protect their crops from small birds that threaten to ruin their yield.
Ronaldo Abrigo has been keeping a close watch on his rice fields for almost a month, fearing damage from small birds known locally as “billit.”
These birds consume rice grains and, if left unchecked, could devastate the harvest.
"’Yung mga palay, talagang uubusin na ng ibon," Abrigo said.
The Municipal Agriculture Office has noted that this issue is affecting fields close to harvest time.
While controlling the birds is challenging, farmers are advised to monitor their fields and scare the birds away.
"Ang ginagawa ng ibang masisipag na farmer [ay] gagawa ng parang tao na nagbabantay [o scarecrow], tapos may naggagalaw para at least maiisip ng mga ibon na may tao hindi sila dadapo," Merle Cuison-Sali, the municipal agriculturist, said.
Should the damage be significant, the Agriculture Office plans to provide assistance to affected farmers.