THOUGH the dry spell is expected to continue until August, the cost of damage to crops, fishery and livelihood in 37 local government units in Cebu Province has already reached close to P105 million.
The development was confirmed by Rhee Telen Jr. of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) after the towns of Tuburan, Alcantara and Moalboal, and Bogo City submitted their validated assessment reports.
Last May 1, agricultural damage in Cebu Province brought about by the weak El Niño was placed at P78 million.
But with the reports from the four LGUs, the validated damage count was raised to P104.8 million as of Tuesday, May 7.
The validated amount is at least P4 million higher than the P100 million estimated damage to crops, fishery and livelihood based on a rapid assessment and survey a team from Capitol conducted last March.
Affected areas include the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay and Toledo, and the towns of Alcantara, Alegria, Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Badian, Balamban, Bantayan, Boljoon, Carmen, Compostela, Consolacion, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Moalboal, Pilar, Pinamungajan, Ronda, San Fernando, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Santander, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabuelan, Tuburan and Tudela.
Based on the updated validated report, Tuburan declared damage amounting to P19.9 million, Alcantara with P3.5 million, Moalboal with P2 million and Bogo with P1.2 million.
In Tuburan, around 301 farmers and 298 hectares of coffee farms were affected by the dry spell.
Damage to these coffee farms were placed at P6.5 million.
This, though, only covers three out of 16 barangays with coffee farms as the other 13 have yet to submit their damage report.
Aside from this, the town also reported damage to several crops in around 1,024.88 hectares of farmlands amounting to P13.4 million.
Bogo City, on the other hand, reported damage to livestock and poultry at P1.2 million.
In Alcantara, 194 fishermen, 98 farmers and 200.12 hectares of farmlands were affected, while in Moalboal, some 75 hectares of corn fields were destroyed by the dry spell. (RTF)