Agriculture, infrastructure damage breaches P100 million

Floods, landslides in Caraga, Davao

MANILA, Philippines — Damage to agriculture and infrastructure due to flooding and landslides caused by the shear line in Davao and Caraga has reached more than P100 million.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday that P64 million in damage to agricultural land and fishponds was reported in Davao and P14 million in Caraga.

The NDRRMC said 55 infrastructure facilities and 419 houses were damaged while 150 houses were destroyed.

The death toll stood at 16 while five were confirmed injured.

At least 173,875 families or 768,387 people have been affected in the two regions since Jan. 14.

A total of 19,406 people were displaced while 8,944 others were preemptively evacuated.

The NDRRMC said the government provided 19 evacuation centers and P62.5 million in assistance to affected residents.

In Davao City, the city agriculturist’s office said 12 hectares of rice fields were destroyed in Calinan district.

In Marilog, Tugbok and Buhangin districts, 18.45 hectares of agricultural land were affected by landslides.

City agriculturist Edgardo Haspe said many rice farmers in the city are eligible for indemnity insurance of P20,000 per hectare.

Haspe said the city agriculturist office has coordinated with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. to provide indemnity to affected farmers.

He said farmers of high-value crops and corn would also receive assistance such as seeds, farming supplies, seedlings and fertilizers.

Haspe advised those whose farms were affected by landslides not to replant on unstable land for their safety.

“We must wait for the ground to stabilize... We recommend that the areas that were hit by landslides be planted with fruit trees,” he said.

Aside from livelihood assistance, the Davao city agriculturist office said it would recommend to the city social welfare and development office the distribution of cash assistance to affected farmers. — Diana Lhyd Suelto