Agriculture damage due to Enteng rises to P659 million

MANILA, Philippines — The damage of Tropical Storm Enteng to the agriculture sector in five regions has risen to P659.01 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Based on the latest report of the DA’s Operations Center as of 8 a.m. yesterday, Enteng has affected 22,309 hectares of agricultural land in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Western and Eastern Visayas.

The DA said the volume of production losses was pegged at 28,788 metric tons (MT) covering rice, corn, high-value crops, cassava and livestock affecting at least 27,598 farmers.

According to the DA, 95 percent or P624.06 million of the damage came from rice covering 20,096 hectares of palay plantations and a production loss of 26,736 MT.

Meanwhile, the damage to corn plantations reached P22.75 million covering 2,065 hectares and production losses of 1,430 MT.

The damage to high-value crops increased to P10.41 million covering 132 hectares and volume losses of 533 MT.

On the other hand, damage to cassava reached P1.77 million affecting 16 hectares and losses of 89 MT.

The DA is currently carrying out assistance and interventions for the affected farmers and fisherfolk through its regional field offices and local government units.

Some P202.86 million worth of assistance was given by DA regional field offices.

The DA added that affected farmers can avail themselves of the P25,000 loan under the Survival and Recovery Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

Available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. are also ready to indemnify insured affected farmers, it added.

16 dead, 17 missing

Meanwhile, Enteng’s death toll rose to 16 yesterday as thousands of displaced families remain in temporary shelters across Luzon and the Visayas.

Latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) show that eight of the casualties are from the Calabarzon region, three from the Bicol region and two each from Western, Central and Eastern Visayas region.

The agency added the number of persons reported missing has also ballooned to 17.

The NDRRMC said a total of 538,602 families or 2,061,726 persons were affected by Enteng’s heavy rains,