158 areas under state of calamity

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 158 areas across the country have declared a state of calamity in the aftermath of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.

The Bicol region has the highest number of areas placed under a state of calamity with 78, followed by Calabarzon with 63 and Eastern Visayas with 13.

The provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes as well as Bulan in Sorsogon are currently under a state of calamity.

Amid this development, the death toll due to Kristine’s onslaught has risen to 90, according to the NDRRMC.

NDRRMC spokesman Edgar Posadas said the number of reported deaths is still up for validation to determine if the causes are related to the storm.

“They were reported. These are running real-time count,” Posadas said in an interview over Teleradyo Serbisyo.

In an earlier interview over radio station dzBB, Office of Civil Defense administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said the death toll was at 85 while 41 were missing.

In Calabarzon, 48 deaths have been recorded while 28 have been reported in Bicol.

The causes of death of the 85 individuals will still be validated if these were due to the effects of the storm.

Many of the casualties were caused by landslides and flooding, according to Nepomuceno.

In its report, the NDRRMC said a total of 1,415,438 families, accounting for 5,784,298 individuals, have been impacted by Kristine nationwide.

The 2.5 million people affected are from Bicol alone; 936,951 are from Central Luzon and 685,049 from Eastern Visayas.

In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, more than 488,000 people are also affected.

The report said 91,189 families are in 7,484 evacuation centers, all of whom had already received assistance, while 48,250 families are taking shelter in other places and had received external support.

Agriculture damage swells to P3.11 billion

In the agriculture sector, Kristine’s damage has swelled to P3.11 billion amid the extent of the devastation of the cyclone, according to latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Based on the latest report from the DA’s Operations Center as of 9 a.m. yesterday, the damage and losses in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Bicol, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsksargen and Caraga have been reported in rice, corn, cassava, high value crops, livestock and poultry, fisheries and agricultural infrastructure.

The DA said at least 74,554 farmers and 72,323 hectares of agricultural lands have been affected, resulting in the volume of production loss of 160,107 metric tons (MT).

It added that at least 93 percent, or P2.87-billion damage, was reported in rice production covering 69,976 hectares and production loss of 152,440 MT.

The agency maintained that the volume of production loss was only 0.75 percent of the total annual production target volume for rice at 20.19 million MT.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has said that Kristine would hurt the country’s total palay production.

“Unfortunately, the effects of La Niña, particularly Kristine, will hurt our production as we are already at harvest period this wet season. It is sad news that areas ready for harvest have been reportedly flooded,” Tiu Laurel said.

The damage to high value crops totaled P121.08 million covering 1,519 hectares and production loss of 6,014 MT.

Meanwhile, the damage to farm structures and irrigation facilities have been pegged at P41.66 million and P26 million, respectively.

The damage to corn production reached P22.27 million covering 783 hectares and production loss of 1,461 MT.

The volume of production loss was only 0.02 percent of the total annual production target volume for corn at 8.86 million MT.

Losses to fisheries have reached P11.20 million with volume loss of 66 MT affecting 98 fisherfolk.

The damage to cassava production reached P6.55 million covering 52 hectares and production loss of 126 MT and livestock and poultry, P3.73 million affecting 2,862 heads.

At least P531.72 million worth of agricultural inputs will be distributed to the affected farmers, according to the DA.

It said at least P1 billion in the Quick Response Fund would be tapped for the rehabilitation and recovery of affected areas.

Aside from these, at least P500 million has been allocated for the Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, where affected farmers can avail themselves up to P25,000 loanable amount, payable in three years at zero interest.

The DA said insured farmers would receive indemnification from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.

18 national roads affected

Meanwhile, 18 national roads had substantial sections that remained closed to traffic as of yesterday morning, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The national roads are scattered all over almost all regions in Luzon except in Ilocos, but includes CAR and Central Visayas.

The DPWH said major thoroughfares have been rendered impassable due to rock collapse, high water elevation, flooding, collapsed road, landslide, fallen electric posts, silted pavement, collapsed pavement, rockslide and road slip.

Three national bridges have become also unpassable: one in Cagayan Valley; one in Calabarzon, and one in Bicol due to flooding and collapsed bridge.

Also, 13 national road sections have limited access due to road slip, flash flood, scoured reinforced concrete pipe culvert and washed-out surfacing materials, and flooding.

All national roads and bridges in other affected regions had already become passable to all types of vehicles as of yesterday morning. — Bella Cariaso, Rainier Allan Ronda