AT LEAST 1,300 farmers and fishermen from 35 local government units (LGUs) in Cebu Province affected by the weather phenomenon El Niño have received P10.91 million worth of indemnity.

The Cebu Provincial Government, through its partnership with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., contributed P4.23 million to the compensation fund.

For its part, the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture program of the Department of Budget and Management gave P4.37 million.

A report presented during the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council meeting on Thursday, June 20, 2019 showed that around 458.75 hectares of corn fields, 88 livestock and eight fishing boats were affected by the dry spell.

The report further stated that 490 farmers, 143 stock raisers and eight fishermen have received their indemnities.

As of Thursday, damage to agriculture, fishery and livelihood in 35 LGUs has reached P121,704,303.84.

Some 7,622 farmers and 928 fisherfolks were affected by the dry spell.

Affected areas include the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Mandaue, Naga and Toledo, and the towns of Alcantara, Alegria, Aloguinsan, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Carmen, Compostela, Consolacion, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Moalboal, Pilar, Pinamungajan, Poro, San Fernando, San Francisco, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Santander, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabuelan, Tuburan and Tudela.

At least 16 of the affected LGUs have placed their areas under a state of calamity, which would allow them to use their calamity funds.

The Capitol had already spent around P32,598,080 of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management’s P59 million quick response fund for this year.

Of the amount, around P10 million was used to purchase food items such as sacks of rice and canned goods. The Capitol spent P17.19 million to buy water containers, hoses and a generator set.

Around P1.2 million was also used to purchase vitamins for livestock and poultry, while another P3.61 million was spent for the rental of water tanks and hauling of rice from the National Food Authority. (RTF)