• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Damage to the agriculture sector, including livestock and fisheries, caused by southwest monsoon (habagat) enhanced by tropical storms Ferdie and Helen, as well tropical depression Gener, have amounted toP149,738,745 million in Negros Occidental, based on the report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Irene Bel Ploteña reported P146,184,459 worth of agricultural crops has been lost, P1,781,361 in fisheries, and P1,772,925 in livestock, as of September 20.
Also affected by the inclement weather were 203,091 persons in 259 barangays of 25 cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental. However, the majority of the more than 10,206 individuals that have evacuated, staying both inside and outside of evacuation centers, have already returned to their respective homes, after the weather returned to normal.
Forty-five houses were destroyed, while 733 were reported as partially damaged, and two casualties were recorded by the PDRRMC.
States of calamity have been declared in the municipalities of San Enrique and Hinigaran, and La Carlota City.
In Sipalay City, the City Agriculture Office reported the southwest monsoon caused flash floods that damaged 334 hectares of rice land, with 359 farmers in 13 barangays affected. Estimated value of the damage to the rice crops placed at P12 million.*
