El Niño Causes Over 1 Billion Pesos in Agricultural Damage, NDRRMC Reports

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has announced that the El Niño phenomenon has inflicted over 1 billion pesos in damage to the agricultural sector. A recent report highlights the severe impact of El Niño, with Gaudencio Sico, a 62-year-old farmer from Imus, Cavite, struggling to sustain crops in his watermelon plantation due to the relentless heat.

The NDRRMC’s detailed assessment reveals that the total production loss and agricultural damage has escalated to an estimated 1,056,379,891 pesos. The Western Visayas region bears the brunt of this devastation, reporting the highest agricultural damage costing 678,705,381 pesos. This is followed by significant losses in Mimaropa at 319,755,957 pesos, Ilocos at 54,450,077 pesos, Calabarzon at 2,750,947 pesos, and Zamboanga at 717,527 pesos.

This adverse weather event has affected 23,086 farmers and fisherfolk, as well as damaging 17,718 hectares of crops nationwide. Moreover, communities are grappling with water shortages, with six barangays in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, reporting difficulties in accessing drinking and agricultural water since December 2023.

The El Niño phenomenon, declared by the state weather bureau PAGASA on July 4 last year, is characterized by the abnormal warming of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean’s sea surface temperatures. This leads to reduced rainfall levels, exacerbating drought conditions. Zamboanga City has already initiated a water rationing scheme in response to the limited water supply, and Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, has been declared a state of calamity as rivers dry up and water scarcity impacts crops.

In light of these challenges, the NDRRMC reports that financial assistance totaling 362,564,850 pesos has been provided to affected individuals in Mimaropa. The ongoing El Niño continues to pose significant risks to agriculture, water supply, and the livelihoods of thousands, underscoring the need for continued vigilance and support for those impacted.