CRY FOR HELP. An El Niño-affected farm in the Ilocos region. The Department of Agriculture has committed to sending irrigation equipment to farmers in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro after municipal authorities reached out to the national government amid the ongoing dry spell brought about by El Niño. (PNA file photo)
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – The Department of Agriculture (DA) quickly committed to sending irrigation equipment to farmers in Bulalacao town in Oriental Mindoro province after municipal authorities reached out to the national government amid the ongoing dry spell brought about by El Niño.
This came after the municipal board placed the southernmost town of Bulalacao under a state of calamity due to “severe and prolonged drought.”
DA Undersecretaries Jerome Oliveros and Arnel de Mesa have just visited the town to assess the impact of the dry spell, the Bulalacao Information Office (BIO) disclosed in an exchange of emails with the Philippine News Agency on Friday.
It was also disclosed that during their inspection visit, the two DA officials met with about 50 farmer leaders to get a better sense of the severity of the situation on the ground.
At the same time, Mayor Ernilo Villas and Municipal Agriculture Officer Rommel de Guzman successfully appealed to the DA officials for logistical support for the town’s agricultural sector.
Oliveros has pledged to send Solar-Powered Water System Irrigation equipment to Barangays Cambunang, Maujao, and Nasucob, with a reported combined value of PHP19 million, according to the BIO.
Additionally, the DA will also send approximately PHP40 million worth of cold storage equipment to Bulalacao to preserve its harvest of onions, among other crops.
In Bulalacao, there are about 500 hectares of land planted with onions by 575 farmers, 539 hectares planted with rice by 545 farmers, and 20.2 hectares planted with other products by 28 farmers, according to the BIO.
“Farmers dig water sources for supply but the drought has already been affecting the quality and quantity of their products like palay and onions,” it stated.
Meanwhile, national agencies and government financial institutions (GFI) have also responded to help cushion El Niño’s impact on the town’s agricultural sector.
Oliveros and de Guzman said each registered farmer could secure loans amounting to PHP25,000 under the DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council's Programang Sure Aid Loan.
Farmers insured with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. can also claim up to PHP20,000 in indemnity if their crops are devastated by the drought.
Moreover, the DA will distribute seedlings, fertilizer, and even livestock to affected farmers under its Quick Response After Recovery Program, the BIO further said. (PNA)
