‘Odette’ despoils P14-million worth of agri products in Iloilo

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Typhoon “Odette” ruined an estimated P14.48 million worth of rice, corn, livestock, poultry, and fisheries in Iloilo province, according to the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO).

PDRRMO data as of 4 p.m. of Dec. 17 indicated that almost half of the damage, or around P7.6 million, was on rice crops.

Damage to corn was pegged at P6.09 million followed by fishing boats (P710,000), other crops (P32,000), poultry and fowls (P6,259), and livestock (P3,000).

Per area, only three towns have reported damages to agriculture as of this writing—Ajuy, Balasan, and Concepcion.

Ajuy reported P6.04 million damage to rice, P150,000 to corn, P32,000 to other crops, P6,259 in poultry and fowls, and P3,000 in livestock.

Balasan logged P1.59 million damage to rice, and P5.94 million damage to corn. Concepcion records the remaining P710,000 damage to fishing boats.

PDRRMO chief Jerry Bionat had previously said that the province’s rice industry would be threatened by “Odette.”

On Friday, Bionat reiterated his statement, saying that the damage to rice had been expected since the onset of the typhoon.

“We don’t have problems with the flood, but because of the [rice’s] maturing age it means the plant is already tall. Because of the strong winds, the [rice plant] will fall and the mature rice will be affected. This means that only 50 to 60 percent would be viable,” he added.

DAMAGE TO HOUSING

The PDRRMO also reported that 274 houses were destroyed while 12,912 houses were partially damaged.

Guimbal reported the most number of totally damaged houses (106), followed by Tigbauan (79), Alimodian (31), Leganes (29), San Joaquin (18), Maasin (4), Pototan and Lemery (2 each), and Lambunao, Dueñas, and San Rafael (1 each).

As to partially damaged houses, Lemery had the highest (6,551), followed by Tigbauan (1,889), Dumangas (1,629), Guimbal (744), Alimodian (566), Lambunao (503), Sta. Barbara (481), San Enrique (200), Ajuy (94), Anilao (70), Pototan (65), Maasin (42), San Joaquin (39), New Lucena (20), San Rafael (15), and Dueñas (4).

A total of 8,386 families with 32,938 individuals were evacuated, according to another PDRRMO report as of 12 p.m. of Dec. 17.