DAMAGES and losses brought by Typhoon Ursula (international name Phanfone) has increased from P633.72 million to P695.85 million, according to the December 27, 2019 bulletin from the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Central Office Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operations Center.
The increase is due to the updated report from Bicol region, Western, Eastern, and Central Visayas.
Volume of production loss on rice, corn, high value crops, livestock and fisheries amounted to 1,244 metric tons, affecting 6,523 hectares and 47,690 farmers and fisherfolk. There are also reported damages and losses on agri-infrastructure.
Aside from the P60 million fund under the Survival Recovery (Sure) Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) and indemnification from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), the DA-Regional Field Office (RFO) in Western, Central and Eastern Visayas have seed reserves with quantity of 8,532 bags of rice seeds, 4,622 bags of corn seeds and 2,343 kilograms of high-value crop seeds to be distributed to the affected farmers who are ready to replant.
In addition, DA-Mimaropa will start to distribute a total of 4,540 bags of rice seeds and 1,000 packs of onion seeds in the municipalities of Occidental Mindoro including San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal and Calintaan.
The concerned DA-RFOs are still conducting field validation to give more accurate reports regarding the impact of Typhoon Ursula. (SunStar Philippines)