QUEZON CITY, Nov. 7 (PIA) - Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque assured that the Department of Agriculture has a program to immediately help farmers of Catanduanes to get back on their feet after the onslaught of super typhoon Rolly early this week causing P400M worth of damage in the abaca industry, which is the main livelihood of many farmers in the province.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), has allotted P592.4M as indemnification fund for 32,761 farmers in the Bicol region whose insured crops were damaged by super typhoon Rolly.
"Meron pong programa ang DA na mag-bibigay ng ayuda sa mga magsasaka na nasalanta ng bagyong ito... at bukod pa dyan, meron po talaga silang programa para sa rehabilitation ng mga nasirang mga pananim at I am sure it is only a matter of time before Secretary Dar will announce kung ano ang package na ibibigay dito sa Catanduanes in particular," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Thursday IATF press briefing.
Further, DA said that PCIC-insured farmers and fishers in the Bicol region will receive insurance claims ranging from P10, 000 to P15,000 for their crops, farm equipment, fishing boats, and gears damaged by the typhoon.
The early advisory of DA on super typhoon Rolly to hit Cantaduanes has saved a total of 242,638 hectares of rice from Regions I, II, III, IV-A, and V with an equivalent production of 1,071,344 metric tons amounting to PhP 16.96B; and, for corn, a total of 11,132 hectares have been saved from Regions I, II, V, and VIII with an equivalent production of 45,703 metric tons amounting to PhP 579M.
Damage and losses in the low-lying agricultural areas were also expected from Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Visayas Region due to the typhoon.
Hence, DA - Regional Field Offices have prepared the following interventions for the affected farmers and fisherfolk:
- Seed reserves for rice and corn, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry;
- Quick Response Fund for the rehabilitation of areas affected by the typhoon;
- Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC); and
- Indemnification fund from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to pay for the losses incurred.
In a recent report, over P1B worth of damage has been recorded in the agriculture sector. (MCG/PIA-IDPD/IATF/DA)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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