QUEZON CITY — President Ferdinand Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. with other cabinet secretaries visited Naga City and Bula, Camarines Sur over the weekend to assess the damages wrought by Severe Tropica Storm Kristine (Trami).
Over P2.1 Billion losses in agricultural crops, livestock, fisheries and agri infrastructures were recorded by the Department of Agriculture – Bicol affecting 37,795 farmers and fishers.
Camarines Sur suffered most of the damages now amounting to P1,027,093,896.04. Albay province also reported a total of P403,850,234.29. Camarines Norte reported P226,268,327.29 losses; Masbate with P264,030,535.37; Sorsogon reported P108,055,744.50; and Catanduanes reported a total of P70,983,850.17.
Among the agri commodities, rice is the most devastated with some 33,377 hectares of rice areas from all the six provinces of Bicol still submerged in deep flood, causing over P1.8 billion in losses.
For the DA Bicol, its command center has been activated since Monday before the onslaught of TS Kristine. The DA Bicol Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center headed by Lorenzo L. Alvina, OIC Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations has also helped in the rescue and relief operations in the different municipalities of Camarines Sur. Ten DA vehicles were mobilized for the rescue and relief distribution efforts. Ten boats were also sourced out from BFAR 5. As of this writing, a total of 2,410 families/individuals were either rescued or assisted through the provision of water, food, clothing and other necessities during the aftermath of TS Kristine. Four evacuation centers are being maintained at the DA Regional Office which can accommodate close to 200 persons.
Constant coordination with the LGUs and other agencies are being carried out for the validation of damaged areas and immediate positioning of rehabilitation assistance composed of rice, corn and vegetable seeds, drugs and biologics. The DA Bicol Bantay Presyo team is also continuously monitoring the prices of agricultural commodities. Two provinces – Albay and Camarines Sur are under the State of Calamity.
Earlier, the National Food Authority through the promise of Secretary Laurel, delivered four truckloads of NFA rice to the Provincial Capitol of Camarines Sur for distribution to affected families.
Meanwhile, the National Food Authority in Bicol Region has provided an initial 2,664 bags of NFA rice to different LGUs in Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Sorsogon in relation to relief assistance. Acting NFA Bicol Regional Manager Julie Llenaresas has confirmed that NFA Bicol has enough stocks for relief operations in the whole region.
The DA Bicol will continue to provide advisories for farmers and fisherfolk through Department of Agriculture – Bicol Facebook page. (DA, Photos courtesy of DA 5 TaskForce DRR-CCA)
