CONSOLIDATING data to declare a certain barangay in Davao City in state of calamity will take more time as the drought brought by the El Nino weather phenomenon is still being experienced in the city.
City Agriculturist Rocelio Tabay said that they have yet to complete the data gathering, especially on the extent of the damage to agricultural crops, before they can recommend a state of calamity in an area or barangay in the city. He said the data changed from week to week.
"Dili gyud na mahuman ang study samtang init pa (The study will still continue as the drought continues)," Tabay said.
He added that unlike flashfloods, effects of the drought cannot be immediately measured.
"It is progressive. Some plants have died, some are still dying, so if it will die, it will form part of our report. It is not the same with flashfloods that you can immediately assess the situation," Tabay said.
Tabay said that once the data gathering is done, they will immediately recommend to declare areas hardest hit by drought to be placed under state of calamity.
He added that possible barangays which can be declared under state of calamity are those in Paquibato area as fruit trees in the area are already drying up. (KVC)