El Niño strains farms, water resources in other parts of Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — The continuing El Niño phenomenon is taking a toll on agriculture, water resources, public health and livelihoods in other parts of the Visayas, with Northern Samar reporting more than P50 million in agricultural losses and a municipality in the province declaring a state of calamity.

Northern Samar’s town of Lope de Vega was placed under a state of calamity on Wednesday after prolonged dry conditions affected agriculture, livelihoods and the health of residents.

The declaration was made through Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) Resolution No. 15-120 to enable the municipal government to mobilize resources and provide assistance.

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Municipal records showed that about 917 farmers had been affected, with agricultural losses estimated at P27 million involving 269.65 hectares of farmland. The agriculture sector also reported 114 cases of diarrhea, including four deaths, which local authorities linked to the adverse effects of the prolonged dry conditions.

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The declaration came a day after the Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council conducted a Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment on Oct. 6 to evaluate the province’s exposure to the continuing dry spell and identify measures to protect communities and essential services.

Subsidies

The agriculture sector reported more than P50 million in losses involving crops, livestock and other agricultural products since the onset of the dry season. Of the province’s 24 municipalities, 11 have reported agricultural damage, with Lope de Vega posting the highest losses at about P25.99 million.

The other affected municipalities are Lavezares, Mapanas, Bobon, San Roque, Las Navas, Pambujan, Biri, Gamay and Palapag.

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Palay accounted for the largest share of the reported agricultural losses, at P22.45 million.

Provincial officials said affected farmers need subsidies and other assistance to recover their losses and sustain production.

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The province has more than 51,000 identified farmers, but only about 3,400 were insured under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. as of last year, covering more than 8,800 hectares.

The impact on agriculture has been compounded by declining water resources. The water supply and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector reported decreasing water production. /cb