Typhoon ‘Nina’ damage to irrigation reaches Php191.38-M
By Leslie D. Venzon
MANILA, Dec. 29 (PNA) — The cost of damage to irrigation in areas affected by typhoon “Nina” have reached Php191.38 million, said the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) on Thursday.
Updated reports showed that damage to irrigation facilities reached Php51.58 million for crops and Php138.80 million for infrastructure covering 7,748 hectares of farm lands, affecting 8,953 farmers.
Region 5 or the Bicol region suffered major damages with a total of 5,257 hectares of agri lands with an estimated crop losses amounting to Php32.05 million and roughly 5,271 farmers were affected.
NIA Administrator Peter Tiu Laviña said they are closely monitoring the situation and will take appropriate actions with thorough coordination with other government agencies.
Meanwhile, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator Billy Andal personally visited the severely damaged areas in Quezon province to monitor the condition of the farmers, communities and the coconut trees damaged by typhoon “Nina”.
Andal, together with Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, PCA Deputy Administrator Roel Rosales and Regional Manager Erlene Manohar of Region 4A, surveyed the affected areas especially in the second and third districts of the province particularly Mulanay, San Narciso and San Andres.
“We are here to assess the condition of the typhoon affected coconut trees and farmers; we have to identify the trees that can be saved and the trees that should be cut down,” said Andal. “We also have to know if they need some re-planting or inter-cropping so that we can assist the coco farmers of their needs.”
Strong winds with heavy rain pounded the Quezon province early Monday this week and damaged 3,787,749 coconut trees with an estimated cost of Php69.77 million.
Based on the preliminary report of PCA on the damages to coconut industry brought by typhoon Nina, the estimated number of coconut trees damaged in Camarines Sur covering districts 4 and 5 has reached 3,827,716 while the total damage in Bicol is 9,010,655.
The estimated cost of damage in Batangas has reached Php509,920; Cavite, Php182,188; Oriental Mindoro, Php309,760; and Marinduque, Php128 million.
Andal vowed to aid all the coconut farmers affected by typhoon to help them get back on their feet after experiencing the devastating typhoon. (PNA)
LGI/LDV
