Gener causes heavy damages to agri sector

BANGUED, Abra -- The agriculture sector in the province suffered heavy damages with the onslaught of typhoon Gener last week.

According to Provincial Engineer Hector Camcam, who is also the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, the box culvert which serves as main diversion canal of the Abra River irrigation system was damaged last July 31. Because of this, the palay (rice) crops which are now in their maturity stage are at risk of experiencing no water in the next months until these are harvested.

The system irrigates more than 900 hectares of ricelands in the municipalities of Tayum, Bangued and Pidigan and the damage to the structure threatens a potential harvest of 4,000 tons of palay, he said.

The same irrigation structure was cut last year by a typhoon and was repaired through the funding support of Governor Eustaquio Bersamin.

Last weekend, the governor went around monitoring the extent of typhoon damages and he found out that Barangay Sto.Tomas, Manabo, the vegetable bowl of the municipality, was also severely damaged by the typhoon.

Jesus Villamor, Jr., the Provincial Agriculturist, said four hectares of corn/vegetable lands were totally washed out and the farmers lost around P210,000 worth of corn which were about to be harvested.

A total of 50 hectares are also partially damaged. The lands are planted with corn, peanuts and vegetables, he added.

Bersamin directed Villamor to consult with the affected farmers to come up with a common request for an alternative livelihood in the form of livestock support to augment their losses caused by typhoon Gener.

In terms of infrastructure, major road networks in the province were not severely affected as those in the agriculture sector, based on a report by Engr. Agnes Bernardez of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the PDRRMC. Total damages on the four major road networks were estimated at P3.2M with the major damage on the collapsed cribwall along the Abra-Ilocos Norte National Road in Brgy. Nagaparan, Danglas.

Monitoring of the total damages in all the towns of Abra is still ongoing. (Maritess B. Beñas)