ShareThisCrops, infrastructure losses may hit P7.6 B
MANILA (PinoyNews) – Super typhoon “Juan” battered Northern Philippines leaving 36 people dead, several others still missing and damage to crops and infrastructures estimated at P7.6 billion.
This was reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management and the Philippine National Red Cross as a tropical depression has developed in the Pacific and likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by weekend.
As of Friday, the Red Cross reported 36 dead while the NDRRM listed only 26 with 34 persons were injured and still missing.
The NDRRM added that 1.3 million people in 23 provinces had their homes and other property damaged or their sources of livelihood damaged by the typhoon.
President Aquino immediately distributed assistance to the typhoon victims in Cagayan and Isabela, the two worst hit provinces.
A total of 557 barangays, comprising of 97,953 families or 463,375 persons benefitted from the assistance extended by President Aquino to residents who were badly hit by super typhoon “Juan.”
The President led local officials in distributing relief goods to families affected by the typhoon, particularly in Barangay Baligatan in Isabela.
Assisting the President in the distribution were Governor Faustino Dy, Vice Governor Rodito Albano and Ilagan Mayor Jay Diaz.
Also present were Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gaz
The new tropical disturbance was named “Katring” by local forecasters led by Robert Sawi, chief forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. It is the 11th cyclone to hit the country this year.
“Juan” battered Northern and Central Luzon with 220 kph winds, making it the strongest typhoon in the world so far this year.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) recorded an initial P7.55 billion in damages to the farm sector, including damage to irrigation facilities in the provinces of Tarlac and Bulacan.
The DA said the loss is still biggest in rice at P5.35 billion, followed by high value commercial crops (HVCC) at P613.49 million, and corn at P48.42 million.
Damage to fisheries was placed at P49.94 million, while an estimated P4.75 million was recorded loss for livestock.
Of the 18 provinces affected, Pangasinan and Isabela suffered the biggest losses estimated at P2.22 billion and P1.24 billion, respectively.
The total cropland affected by the super typhoon was recorded at 305,028 hectares in the four Luzon regions — Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – Ifugao, Apayao, Mt. Province, Benguet, Kalinga, and Abra; Region I – Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and La Union; Region II – Isabela, and Cagayan; and Region III – Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Aurora, Pampanga, Tarlac and Bulacan.
The DA said a total of 285,447 hectares of rice lands were affected resulting to the loss of some 314,577 metric tons (MT) of palay worth P5.35 billion from 17 provinces of Regions 1, 2, and 3 except in Bulacan.
The super typhoon affected a total of 285,447 hectares of rice area which is 15.34 percent of the 1,860,395 hectares supposed to be harvested in the country from October to December this year.
Production loss was estimated at 314,577 MT which is equivalent to 4.50 percent of the forecast production of 6,997,964 MT in the country for the period.
On the other hand, some 15,474 hectares of corn fields were affected resulting to a loss of 25,812 MT corn grains.
Of the areas affected, around 105 hectares have no chance of recovery and 15,369 hectares could still recover.
Affected areas were Ifugao, Isabela, Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Aurora, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Pampanga and Tarlac.
The affected corn area covering 15,474 hectares is 2.40 percent of the 645,695 hectares harvestable area in the 4th quarter.
The DA said the fisheries sector lost around P49.94 million as fishery products from 208 hectares of fishponds and 98 units fish cages and five payaos were damaged in Cagayan and Isabela provinces.
Lost were 5.17 million pieces of fingerlings/fry/juvenile and 365 MT of marketable fishes (Tilapia, Siganids, Bangus, Vannamei shrimps).
Super typhoon Juan has also damaged a great number of facilities in the affected region such as the damage to irrigation facilities estimated at P1.18 billion.
Damage to fisheries was recorded at P950,000.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala led the preparation of the rehabilitation plan to recoup the losses of typhoon affected farmers.
The plan includes the provision of certified palay seeds at one bag per hectare to severely affected rice farmers.