THE Southeast monsoon rains enhanced by Typhoon “Fabian” has wreaked damages worth about P37 million on livestock and high-value crops in the Cordillera.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has also listed PHP50 million worth of damages on infrastructures.
An official of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported four casualties and more than P25 million in structural damages in Baguio City as of July 28.
In Wednesday’s media forum at the Baguio City Hall, LDRMM Officer II Louie Glen Lardizabal said the figure represents P9,060,000 in private structure damages and P16,653,000 in damages to public structures.
He said these are just rough estimates from a risk damage assessment and needs analysis (RDANA) conducted by the CDRRMO in collaboration with the City Engineering Office, City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
RDANA is still ongoing since many incidents remain unreported, Lardizabal added.
In its July 29 situational report, the CDRRMO revealed that the continuous heavy rains have caused one death and injuries to three persons, and displacement of 112 families composed of 474 individuals who were brought to evacuation centers and other facilities under the supervision of the CSWDO.
It also disclosed that there was one stranded family; two totally and 50 partially damaged houses; 64 landslides/ erosions; 37 fallen/ leaning trees; three electrical problems; one leaning electrical post; eight flooding incidents; 14 eroded/collapsed ripraps; three damaged canals; one fence about to collapse and one displaced manhole.
The report stated that the CDRRMO has undertaken continuous response and inspection of all reported incidents and monitoring of road conditions leading to Baguio and other national roads in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways regional office.
The CDRRMO also manned the Emergency Operation Center 24/7 in three operational shifts with officers on duty; close coordination/ communication with the Department of Interior and Local Government-Baguio division, Office of Civil Defense regional office, CDRRM Council agencies and members; and has made other proactive actions.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said there is sufficient supply of highland vegetables coming from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) despite the continuous rains due to the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat).
Dr. Cameron Odsey, DA-CAR regional director, said the volume of vegetables being traded out of the region is the same as that traded before the southwest monsoon, and transported to markets in different parts of the country.
He said about two million kilograms of assorted vegetables mostly composed of the chopsuey are traded at the public and private trading facilities in Benguet and transported out daily despite the non-stop rains in Benguet province.
He said Cordillera produces 85 percent of the country’s highland vegetable requirement with 65 percent coming from Benguet.
While there were continuous rains in Baguio and Benguet province, he said the region continues to produce the vegetable needs of the Filipinos.
“Most of the vegetables survived except iyong natabunan (buried) by landslides, maliit na quantity lang yun (it’s a small quantity),” he said.
The Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) received reports of PHP35,260 losses on livestock and PHP2.03 million on high-value crops.
Odsey said that while there were landslides that occurred on roads, the vegetable truckers were able to continue transporting the produce to the trading posts and markets.
“Nag-o-open naman ang mga roads maski nag-landslide, at least may one-lane road na nakakalusot naman, hindi naman totally blocked (Despite landslides, at least one lane would remain open allowing vehicles to pass. ),” he said.
He said there have been no damages to corn and rice plantations in the region, assuring the DA is ready to help farmers in case of damaged crops.
“We have standby seeds for rice and vegetables and can provide for them so that they will have ready planting materials,” he said.
He said they continue to encourage the farmers, especially those being assisted by the DA, to register with the Philippine Crops Insurance Corporation.
Odsey said commercial farms can also register for crop insurance. – Gaby Keith and Liza Agoot
