P1.2 billion on standby to aid Paeng victims – DSWD

MANILA, Philippines — A disaster response fund of P1.2 billion is available for relief and early recovery efforts to aid Filipinos adversely affected by Tropical Storm Paeng, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said yesterday.

“We still have P1.2 billion worth of stockpile aid and standby fund, as well as P264 million Quick Response Fund, which we can use to augment assistance in affected communities,” Social Welfare Undersecretary for special concerns Edu Punay told a televised public briefing.

So far, the DSWD has counted 560,000 families or 2.1 million people needing humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the storm that affected 16 of 17 regions of the country.

Punay said that of the number, 297,341 or 75,168 families are in 3,208 evacuation centers nationwide as of yesterday morning.

“We have distributed P48.1 million worth of food and non-food items so far and the distribution is still ongoing,” he said.

Aside from food and non-food items, Punay said the DSWD will be providing aid to families who lost loved ones due to Paeng, as well as those who lost their houses and were injured.

“These (other forms of assistance) will be under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Program (AICS) of DSWD. We prioritized basic necessities such as food and shelter for now,” Punay said, adding that at least 3,064 houses were damaged by Paeng.

Punay said they have yet to ascertain the allocation they will set aside for Paeng-related assistance, but would initially limit the cash aid for those needing burial and medical assistance.

“For burial and medical assistance for the injured, P10,000 in cash, maximum, or GL (guarantee letter),” Punay told The STAR in a Viber interview.

Volunteers, donations

Punay also called for volunteers to help the DSWD in repacking aid as well as for donations for Paeng-affected areas.

“We welcome additional manpower, financial and non-financial donations in our bayanihan effort to help our kababayans. Those who want to help could reach out to these numbers: 09569226155 and 09152921875,” he said.

Punay said that those whose homes were destroyed or sustained major damage will be given cash under the DSWD’s Emergency Shelter Assistance.

Damage to agriculture

The estimated cost of damage to the agriculture sector has ballooned to P1.33 billion as of yesterday, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) as well as Regions 3 (Central Luzon), 4A (Calabarzon), 4B (Mimaropa), 5 (Bicol), 6 (Western Visayas), 9 (Zamboanga peninsula) and 12 (Soccsksargen in Central Mindanao) reported damage and losses in the sector, the DA said. Latest data showed Paeng affected 53,849 farmers and fishers, with volume of production loss at 66,963 metric tons (MT) and 64,607 hectares of agricultural areas.

Affected commodities include rice, high value crops, livestock and poultry and fisheries while agricultural facilities also incurred damage.

Damage in the rice sector reached P1.23 billion, with 63,930 hectares affected and 64,951 MT lost.

For high value crops, 379 hectares were struck, equivalent to 1,711 MT volume lost and P60 million in value.

Agri facilities, such as the DA regional animal disease diagnostic laboratory, regional fruit nurseries and agricultural research and experiment station in Zamboanga City were damaged, valued at P20.6 million.

Total value of losses in the fisheries sector amounted to P16 million, as Paeng affected fishponds and cages of bangus and tilapia and seaweed farms, and damaged non-motorized boats and municipal fishing boats.

The typhoon impacted 299 hectares of corn farms in Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, with volume and value equivalent to 298 MT and P5.59 million, respectively.

The livestock and poultry sector lost 1,334 heads of chicken, swine, cattle, carabao, goat, sheep, duck and horse, with total value at P1.92 million.

In Western Visayas, Paeng destroyed 14,269.28 hectares of crop lands and 10,186.098 MT of crops (rice, corn and other high-value crops), the DA Region 6 reported as of 9 a.m. yesterday.

The DA-6 said the province of Capiz logged the most number of damaged crops at 3,116 MT (P66.729 million) and Antique with 2,732.718 MT (P63.2 million).

On the other hand, Negros Occidental has registered damaged crops at 1,400 MT (P27.5 million), Iloilo with 2,847 MT (P10.3 million) and Aklan with 89.07 MT (P1.6 million).

Yesterday afternoon, an update from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson stated that the damage to agricultural crops in Negros Occidental has risen to P103 million.

Mobile Kadiwa centers

The DA said it will roll out mobile Kadiwa centers in areas affected by Paeng to stabilize prices and supply of agri-fishery commodities.

The agency has prepared assistance to affected farmers and fishers, such as distribution of seeds for rice and corn, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry and fingerlings to affected fisherfolk.

Based on the combined data of Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V and Cordillera Administrative Region, Paeng will affect 1,051,518 hectares of rice, equivalent to 70.59 percent of the national standing crops, and 64,336 hectares of corn, or 26.64 percent of the national standing crops.

Crop insurance

To protect small farmers and their crops from the impact of natural disasters, Sen. JV Ejercito is proposing to automatically place all planters with eight hectares of farmland and below under the government’s crop insurance program.

Ejercito filed Senate Bill 390 to expand the national government’s current crop insurance program and improve food security in the country amidst its vulnerability to natural disasters and other crises.

Once passed, the measure will require the DA to develop a comprehensive crop insurance scheme for small farmers in coordination with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) and in consultation with the Insurance Commission (IC).

For farmers owning or cultivating five hectares of farmland and below, their insurance premiums will be subsidized by the national government.

On the other hand, the national government will cover half the insurance premiums of planters owning or cultivating more than five hectares but not exceeding eight hectares of farmland. – Danessa Rivera, Jennifer Rendon, Gilbert Bayoran, Paolo Romero, Richmond Mercurio