Albay town to be placed under state of calamity

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Pioduran town in Albay will be placed under a state of calamity due to the dry spell amid the El Niño phenomenon.

Gina Elorde, chairperson of the Sangguniang Bayan’s committee on agriculture, said 28 of the 33 barangays in the town have been experiencing scarce rainfall and extreme heat.

Elorde said more than 1,200 hectares of rice fields were damaged, with losses estimated at P83 million.

“The Pioduran Sangguniang Bayan will hold a special session next week to declare the town under a state of calamity because of the impact of El Niño on our rice fields,” she said.

With the state of calamity declaration, the municipal government can tap its calamity fund or ask assistance from the Albay provincial government.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bicol is still evaluating damage to agriculture due to El Niño in Albay.

In Masbate, losses incurred by the agriculture sector in Cawayan town was estimated at P70 million, Lovella Guarin, DA-Bicol spokesperson.

Meanwhile, in Ilocos, damage due to agriculture due to El Niño has reached P113 million.

Analiza Ramos, DA-Ilocos field operations division chief, said 2,900 hectares of agricultural land – 1,600 hectares of cornfields, 1,200 hectares of rice fields, and 71 hectares planted with high-value crops – were affected.

Ramos said Ilocos Norte has the highest number of affected agricultural land at 940 hectares followed by Pangasinan with 578 hectares and Ilocos Sur, 148 hectares.