Lawmaker seeks DAR aid for El Niño-hit farmers

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – Representative Emilio Yulo III of the fifth district has sought assistance from Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III for farmers in Negros Occidental who are grappling with the adverse effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

Following the presentation of over 4,000 land titles to 2,797 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Bago City, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presiding, Yulo highlighted the severe impact of the prolonged heatwave, especially on the agricultural capacity of the fourth, fifth, and sixth districts.

Yulo emphasized the community’s concerted efforts, stating, “Gusto lang namon ipabatyag sa pumuluyo sang probinsya na gatinguha kita” (We want to let the people of Negros know that we’re doing something about it).

He expressed disappointment over the Bureau of Soils and Water Management’s (BSWM) rejection of a request for cloud seeding operations, citing a lack of seedable clouds, despite local officials’ claims of rain clouds’ presence.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson reported experts’ assessments indicating insufficient cloud moisture to conduct effective cloud seeding, prompting local authorities to challenge the BSWM’s decision.

The drought has wrought extensive damage to the province’s agriculture, impacting 2,585 farmers across 20 localities and causing nearly P98 million in crop losses, with rice and corn being the most affected.

Estrella assured that he would convey these concerns to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of both departments in supporting the farmers’ welfare.

Yulo also signaled readiness to offer further input to the Department of Agriculture, hoping for a receptive audience to address the crisis.