Kabankalan City was placed under a state of calamity on Thursday, April 18, due to the damages brought by the drought.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Kabankalan in a special session this afternoon approved the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s recommendation for the declaration of a state of calamity.
Based on the report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, damage to rice, corn, and agricultural crops in 13 barangays of Kabankalan City was pegged at P41.9 million, affecting 1,214 farmers tilling 1,126 hectares of land.
Kabankalan City Mayor Benjie Miranda also reported that there is rationing of potable water in almost all 32 barangays, especially in the hinterland areas.
Miranda said the request of CDRRMC was acted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, whose members sought the opinion of the City Legal Office.
While they are not opposing the state of calamity declaration, Kabankalan City Vice Mayor Miguel Zayco said they are only asking why the sugarcane fields have not been included in the land area computation of affected areas.
In the whole province, Kabankalan City is the second locality to declare a state of calamity after the municipality of San Enrique, which declared a state of calamity last week.
Local government units (LGUs) under a state of calamity can tap their calamity funds to assist affected residents and implement measures to mitigate the impact of El Niño.*