DUE to the continuous rain, harvesting of vegetables in Benguet province has been hampered.

The heavy downpour brought by the southwest monsoon, or habagat, since last week has affected the volume of vegetables arriving at the vegetable trading post in La Trinidad.

Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative manager Augusta Balanoy said the open and close road situation at Halsema Highway also affected not only the arrival of the highland vegetables at the trading area but also the prices of vegetables.

“In the past days, we have seen sharp increase of prices of veggies. As to the demand of veggies, supply is just enough to meet such since flooded ang Manila, demand has also lowered. All buyers have controlled their purchases as to volume,” she added.

Prices increased from P5 to P20 per kilo.

On Tuesday, prices of vegetables such as rareball cabbage ranged from P37 to P42 per kilo, potatoes at P35-P40/kilo, wombok at P40-P50/kilo, and carrots at P70-P90/kilo.

Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chair Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso extended the suspension of classes on August 14 in all levels from pre-school to college including tech-voc, both in public and private schools.

The governor said the suspension is to ensure safety of students due to continuing inclement weather.

Based on the forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), there will be more rains that may prevail for the whole week.

Office of the Civil Defense-Cordillera director Ruben Carandang said as of August 12, they have monitored four eroded riprap and collapsed walls, six landslides, and three flooding incidents. These occurred in the provinces of Abra, Benguet and Baguio City.

At least three damaged houses were recorded, two in Baguio City and one in Bakun, Benguet.