By Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA
BAGUIO CITY — The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has recorded a total damage of PHP1.2 billion worth of agricultural products as the municipality of Paracelis in Mountain Province declares a state of calamity due to the effects of El Niño.
“As of today, the estimated damage in the agricultural sector is at PHP1.2 billion, but it is still subject for validation,” Department of Agriculture (DA) senior agriculturist Lito Mocati told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday.
Most of the damages were on high-value crops like corn, rice and vegetables.
He said that damage recorded for corn was more than PHP900 million; PHP380 million for rice; and more than PHP10 million for highland vegetables.
He said that the provinces of Ifugao, Apayao and Abra have already submitted their reports for their agricultural damage loss.
Mocati said that they are currently coordinating with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management for the schedule of cloud-seeding in the region.
Meanwhile, the municipal government of Paracelis in Mountain Province has declared the town under a state of calamity due to the extent of damage that the drought has caused.
“The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recommended the declaration of the entire municipality of Paracelis under a state of calamity due to dry spell,” Councilor Djarma Rafael told PNA on Wednesday.
The resolution said that crops are already wilting due to the prevailing dry spell and has caused widespread damage in the agricultural sector.
“Not only with our agricultural products but also the prevailing dry spell has caused outbreak in our poultry, livestock and fishponds representing 70 percent in total damages in the agricultural sector of the municipality,” she said.
She said the resolution for the declaration was approved during the regular session on March 26, which Mayor Avelino Amangyen also signed on the same day.
Paracelis, a second-class municipality, relies heavily on agriculture with majority of its products being corn.