El Niño continues to scorch WV but far from calamitous – OCD

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The El Niño phenomenon continues to burn the Western Visayas region, particularly the agricultural sector, but the head of the Office of Civil Defense-Region 6 (OCD-6) said Tuesday that the situation has not reached the national criteria to declare a State of Calamity.

The OCD-6’s Situational Report No. 10 as of 4:30 pm on Monday, March 11, indicated that the region’s agricultural sector has suffered P726.8 million in production. The prolonged dry spell has affected 19,051 farmers and 14,528.85 hectares (has.) of crop area.

Broken down by province, Iloilo suffered the most losses at P513.53 million, Antique at P125.29 million, Negros Occidental at P55.09 million, Aklan with P30.19 million, and Capiz with P2.7 million.

The report also indicated that 1,787 persons in Capiz and Iloilo were affected and 6 barangays in Himamalyan City, Negros Occidental suffered drinking and irrigation water shortages since December.

OCD-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez told Daily Guardian that as of Tuesday, March 12, the region’s situation has not yet met the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) criteria to declare a state of calamity.

NDRRMC Memorandum Order No. 60 series of 2019 states that at least 15 percent of the population, and at least 30 percent of means of livelihood on agricultural, business, and industry sectors, are affected.

Fernandez said that their most recent validated data suggested that only 5 percent of the population and around 27 or 28 of livelihoods in the region have been deemed affected.

“We’re trying to continuously conduct validations so we can meet the criteria, but as of now, we’re not there yet,” Fernandez said in a phone interview.

Fernandez enumerated regional line agencies’ assistance provided to affected sectors, particularly farmers.

These include mung beans and special fertilizers from the Department of Agriculture, the Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest (BINHI) programs, of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and cash-for-work program of the Department of Labor and Employment.

The Iloilo provincial government has also turned over P15 million to the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to aid farmers and fisherfolk.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s heat index forecast on Tuesday, March 12, reported 40 degrees Celsius in Iloilo City; 39 degrees Celsius in Dumangas, Iloilo; 38 degrees Celsius in Roxas City; 37 degrees Celsius in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental; and 36 degrees Celsius in Mambusao, Capiz.