BACOLOD City – The mayor of Cauayan, Negros Occidental does not see the need to declare a state of calamity despite the extent of damage to the local agriculture industry due to drought triggered by the El Niño phenomenon.
El Niño has so far caused an estimated P66.1 million in damage to the town’s agriculture sector, according to a report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).
OPA added the drought has affected 1,130 rice farmers and 562.48 hectares of farmland in 20 barangays.
Mayor John Rey Tabujara said, despite this, the local government still has funds that can be used to address the situation without declaring a state of calamity.
For one, the mayor said the local government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have already provided food assistance to over 600 affected residents, particularly farmers. Aid for the second batch of recipients is also set to be released.
“We are not planning to declare a state of calamity because two weeks ago, we released food assistance to more than 600 beneficiaries,” Tabujara said.
Earlier, OPA reported that crop damage due to drought in Negros Occidental reached P197,153,844.
It added that the weather phenomenon affected 3,752.94 hectares of cultivated land across 195 barangays, impacting a total of 5,125 farmers. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
