P13.17-M crop losses reported in Calabarzon due to habagat

LUCENA CITY — An estimated 502 hectares of farms tilled by 532 farmers in Calabarzon were affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon, or habagat, with crop losses estimated at P13.17 million, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Region IV-A said on Wednesday.

NIA Regional Manager Roberto Dela Cruz said the affected areas were in Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. 

“The affected crops were submerged while at the vegetative stage, particularly in several National Irrigation Systems (NIS) and Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS),” the report stated.

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The affected systems were the Laguna municipalities of Mabitac, Sta. Cruz, Pila, Victoria, and Famy, as well as the cities of Calamba and Cabuyao; Calaca City and the Batangas municipalities of Lian and Balayan; Tiaong town in Quezon; and Morong town in Rizal.

The agency also reported damage to irrigation infrastructure, including cracks in protection works and berms, scouring and erosion of backfill materials, structural damage to protective structures, major cracks and displacement, partial collapse of concrete structures, and damaged canal linings.

Dela Cruz said the initial estimated cost of infrastructure damage was P12.6 million for Level I emergency and remedial works, while another P4.5 million is needed for Level II rehabilitation.

NIA said it will prioritize Level I emergency and remedial measures to restore irrigation services and help save standing crops.

Level II rehabilitation works, meanwhile, would focus on restoring damaged irrigation facilities to their original condition./coa