MANILA, Philippines — Damage to agriculture in areas battered by Tropical Storm Agaton has increased to P2.8 billion.
In its latest bulletin, the Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center said 31,645 hectares of agricultural land were affected, with production loss at 89,093 metric tons.
At least 64,525 farmers and fishermen were affected.
The rice sector incurred the bulk of the damage at 46 percent, with P1.3 billion in losses; fisheries, P782.1 million; high-value crops, P297 million; corn, P54 million, and livestock and poultry, P41 million.
Irrigation and agriculture facilities worth P331 million were also damaged.
The DA said P723 million in assistance, P500 million of which will be sourced from the quick response fund, would be provided to affected farmers and fisherfolk.
Well-coordinated
Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista gave assurance that the Department of Social Welfare and Development was conducting a well-coordinated effort to bring relief assistance to those affected by Agaton in southern Luzon and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
In a virtual presentation yesterday, Bautista said the DSWD is augmenting relief supply for local government units and supervising the management of 350 evacuation centers that remain open for affected residents.
As of Wednesday, Bautista said the DSWD had provided P64.6 million in assistance.
DSWD Undersecretary for disaster response management Felicisimo Budiongan said some 570,000 families or more than two million people from 6,903 barangays were affected by the storm.
These are in Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, Caraga and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Budiongan said 13,211 families or more than 113,609 people remain in evacuation centers.
He said 19,157 other families or 62,764 people are seeking shelter in the houses of their relatives or friends.