The Department of Agriculture (DA) should anticipate more areas in the country to be declared under a state of calamity due to drought and ready its Quick Response Fund (QRF) under this year’s calamity funds so that it can be immediately tapped and released to aid drought-hit farmers, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said.
This, as the local government of San Enrique town in Negros Occidental declared the municipality under a state of calamity following weeks of rising temperatures, dry weather conditions, and lack of rainfall.
“Kailangang i-expect natin na sa darating na mga linggo ay madadagdagan pa ang mga lugar na magdedeklara ng state of calamity dahil sa matinding init at tagtuyot. Kaya dapat siguraduhin ng DA na ready for release at download sa kanilang regional offices ang QRF kapag nagdeklara na ng state of calamity ang mga LGU para naman mabigyan ng agarang ayuda ang mga apektadong magsasaka sa mga lugar na ‘yon.”
The town’s mayor says 90 percent of the town’s rice fields have already dried up and farmers couldn’t start replanting due to the unfavorable weather conditions.
San Enrique is home to some 26,000 people and is one of the top rice-producing towns in Negros Occidental. A large chunk of the town’s 2,884.75-hectare land area are rice farms.
About 20 local government units (LGUs) have declared a state of calamity to the impact of El Niño.
“Kailangang i-expect natin na sa darating na mga linggo ay madadagdagan pa ang mga lugar na magdedeklara ng state of calamity dahil sa matinding init at tagtuyot. Kaya dapat siguraduhin ng DA na ready for release at download sa kanilang regional offices ang QRF kapag nagdeklara na ng state of calamity ang mga LGU para naman mabigyan ng agarang ayuda ang mga apektadong magsasaka sa mga lugar na ‘yon,” Lee said.
The Bicolano lawmaker also asked the DA and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to coordinate for possible cloud-seeding operations over major farm areas in the country to cushion the detrimental effects of the El Niño.
The on-going dry spell is expected in the Philippines to persist until May.
“Patuloy na mahihirapan ang mga magsasaka sa kanilang produksyon hangga’t hindi sapat ang irigasyon. Dapat proactive tayo at hindi reactive dahil buhay at hanapbuhay ang nakataya dito,” Lee stressed.
In February, the DA Regional Field Office in Cagayan Valley in cooperation with the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Bureau of Soils and Water Management, the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Unit, and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) successfully conducted cloud seeding operations in the region.
Piper Navajo flyers scattered 33 sacks of sodium chloride on cloud formations 4,500 feet above the ground in targeted areas, which brought light to moderate rains in some parts of the Cagayan Valley Region.
“We should replicate this for the areas hardest hit by the El Niño. Nananawagan tayo sa PAGASA na pag-igihan pa sana ang pagbabantay sa mga cloud formation para matukoy agad kung seedable ang mga ulap na ito,” Lee said.
“Kooperasyon ang kailangan para malampasan ang anumang kalamidad, para mapangalagaan ang kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan, at mabawasan ang pangamba kung saan kukuha ng pantustos sa pagkain at iba pang pangangailangan tulad ng pagkakasakit sa pamilya. Sa pagtutulungan, Winner Tayo Lahat.” he added.
