DAVAO CITY (March 6)— The present dry spell has already affected 12 municipalities in North Catabato and the estimated damage to agricultural crops has been estimated to cost P300-million.
In a report published by the Philippines News Agency, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) officer, Arnulfo Villaruz, identified the affected towns as Carmen, Pikit, Aleosan, Midsayap, Matalam, M’lang, Alamada, Tulunan, Matalam, Kabacan, Libungan, and Pigcawayan.
Of the 12 municipalities, the towns of M’lang, Aleosan, Alamada and, Pikit have been declared under the state of calamity.
Farmers feared El Niño will most likely to happen, and their production will be affected.
Villaluz said they are now working for some mitigating measures to cushion the impact of the dry spell among farmers, one of which is the procurement of water pumps and other means to help the affected famers.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration earlier revealed that El Niño might start to hit starting this month.
Last Tuesday, the City Council of Zamboanga City passed a resolution declaring the entire city under the state of calamity due to the dry spell.
NDRRMC Zamboanga reported that 55.1 hectares of rice valued at PHP1.2 million have been damaged due to the drought.
The city government allocated PHP13 million Quick Reaction Fund (QRF) with the declaration of the state of calamity
In 2016, the Province of North Cotabato was among the areas hardly hit by drought, the damage to agricultural crop was reported to have reached P1-Billion.-ezc/NewsLine.ph
