• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas (OCD-6) reported agricultural losses of P689.9 million due to the drought caused by El Niño as of March 6.
Regional spokesperson Cindy Ferrer said yesterday that OCD task group members will meet on March 12 with other government agencies to determine if Western Visayas will be placed under a state of calamity.
Iloilo was the hardest hit with damage reported at P486 million, followed by Antique at P115 million.
In Negros Occidental, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist earlier reported a damage of P77.7 million to farmlands, excluding damage to sugarcane plantations.
Negros Occidental has been categorized as under drought condition, with more than 60 percent reduction of rainfall for three consecutive months.
While there is no critical low level of water yet in Negros Occidental, Ferrer said that Himamaylan City reported having water shortage in its six barangays in January, with interventions immediately initiated by the concerned local government unit (LGU) by pre-positioning water tanks for delivery of potable water to the affected residents.
Himamaylan City is also conducting a survey for possible identification of other water sources in the area.
Senator Imee Marcos, who visited Escalante City and Calatrava in Negros Occidental on March 9, called on the LGUs to help rice farmers register in the Department of Agriculture Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) to avail of financial assistance.
Marcos said the outdated RSBSA system has delayed the distribution of P5,000 each to qualified rice farmers in Negros Occidental. | GB
