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Another Iloilo town now under state of calamity due to El Niño

By Gail Momblan

April 8, 2019, 7:59 pm

ILOILO CITY -- Lambunao town in Iloilo province was placed under a state of calamity on Monday due to the impact of El Niño, the top municipal official said.
 
Lambunao Mayor Jason Gonzales said El Niño damages in agriculture reached PHP164.11 million in value, and has affected 3,588 farmers.
 
“Most damages are recorded in rice areas, but the damages are also felt in corn, banana, and other commodities like vegetables,” Gonzales said in a phone interview.
 
Declaring the town under state of calamity allows the utilization of around PHP9-million fund as part of El Niño mitigation measures.
 
He said the bulk of the calamity fund will be used to provide water in every household. A total of 4,140 households have been affected.
 
“Part of the mitigation measures is the acquisition of two additional water trucks and water impounding systems,” Gonzales said.
 
Farmlands will also be rehabilitated, as part of the budget will also be allocated for the distribution of seeds to farmers, he added.
 
Gonzales said the population, which will be identified for rice assistance by the Municipal Social Welfare Development Office (MSWDO), will be addressed under the rice sufficiency program budget.
 
He said the municipality cannot immediately release the fund as “there are items that are subject for bidding if it is not included in the QRF (quick response fund).”
 
“But we immediately provided assistance that we are able to give,” he said, adding that the town has existing water trucks to address the need for water.
 
Bingawan town was the first town in Iloilo province to be placed under a state of calamity on March 25.
 
In previous interviews, Bingawan Mayor Mark Palabrica said the local government has placed mitigating measures concerning different sectors.
 
These include measures on population, under which the government will extend immediate relief operations to affected farmers and their families by purchasing rice for their consumption; on agriculture to purchase rice and vegetable seeds to be distributed to affected farmers and all affected population; and on engineering to construct and rehabilitate small farm reservoirs, among others. (PNA)
 

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