MORE than two million (2,116,420) individuals have been affected by El Niño in the Philippines, as per the records from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
This was shared by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama, the spokesperson for the El Niño Task Force, during a public briefing on April 24.
Among those affected are farmers, fishermen, and their dependents or families.
“So, we came up with this figure because these are the ones directly assisted by DSWD, DA, and various government agencies because they are the ones affected by El Niño,” according to Asec. Joey Villarama, PCO | Spokesperson, El Niño Task Force.
The PCO official also added that affected farmers and fisherfolks have been provided with cash assistance, rice subsidy, and fuel assistance, while non-farmers or fishermen were given food packs.
El Niño damages to PH agriculture sector reaches P3.94 Billion
Meanwhile, the PCO also reported that based on the latest data from the Department of Agriculture (DA), damages to agriculture have reached 3.94 billion pesos, affecting about 66,000 hectares.
However, Villarama clarified that 78 percent of the 66,000 hectares have a chance of recovery or are still “salvageable.”
“It means, that even if the appearance of the crops is dry or brown, 78% of the crops there can still be utilized. As for those that cannot be recovered, they can be used as feed for livestock,” Villarama added.
103 PH cities, municipalities declare state of calamity due to El Niño—PCO
Meanwhile, 103 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity due to the damage caused by El Niño.
This is based on the records of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which includes five provinces such as Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, and Maguindanao del Sur.
However, according to Villarama, almost the entire Philippines has been affected by the extreme heat.
“But again, in varying degrees, so the focus of the government and the assistance provided depends on the needs of each province,” he stressed.
