• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The city government of Kabankalan in Negros Occidental is mulling the declaration of a state of calamity, following the damage to its crops caused by the dry spell.
A report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) indicated that Kabankalan City suffered the worst damage among the 10 affected local government units in the province.
Damaged were 431.60 hectares of land planted with rice, corn and vegetables in the city’s 13 out of 18 barangays owned by 505 farmers.
Total damage was pegged at P22.834 million as of Feb. 26.
Mayor Benjie Miranda said on Thursday (Feb. 29) that the affected farmers are being assisted by the city government to be insured with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC).
“I am waiting for the recommendation of the City Agriculture Office on what actions to take to help the farmers,” Miranda added.
“If the recommendation requires legislative action from the Sangguniang Panlungsod, we will make the necessary actions,” he also said.
Miranda said that the declaration of a state of calamity is thoroughly being studied, along with the possible conduct of cloudseeding operations.
Majority of the agricultural lands affected are rainfed or those that do not have irrigation.
Based on the OPA report, damage to rice and corn in the affected LGUs in southern Negros has risen to P55.412 million.
Rice crops sustained damage worth P55.255 million while for corn, P157,852.80.
The report also showed that a total of 79 barangays, 1,213 farmers and 1,064.14 hectares of rice and corn fields were affected by the dry spell. | GB
