1 Mayo 2024, Miyerkules
Happy 48th Anniversary Mariveles Baptist Church, Mariveles, Bataan
131 cities, towns now calamity areas
By J.Lo
"As of latest update from Office of Civil Defense, 131 cities and municipalities have declared state of calamity… areas are spread throughout Philippines," Task Force El Niño spokesman and Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama said total of 131 cities and towns have been placed under state of calamity because of effects of El Niño, expected to persist until end of May.
Villarama said areas include seven provinces whose entire jurisdiction are under calamity status, namely Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and South Cotabato.
State of calamity declaration permits local governments to access and spend their calamity funds to assist their constituents.
Villarama said impact of El Niño on 131 cities and towns varies, although 41 areas are experiencing drought, defined as three consecutive months of way below normal or greater than 60-percent reduction from average rainfall condition.
An area is also hit by drought if it experiences five consecutive months of below-normal or 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.
Some areas are hit by dry spell or three consecutive months of below normal or 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way-below-normal or more than 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.
Others experience dry condition or two consecutive months of below-normal or 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.
Villarama said amount of damage to agriculture has reached P4.39 billion, equivalent to 77,731 hectares.
He added that 77 percent of El Niño-hit farmlands could still be recovered.
"Historically, if you compare it to worst El Niño year, which is 1997, damaged agricultural land then was 667,000 hectares…so if you compare it to 77,000 hectares, impact is small because of measures implemented by government before onset of El Niño," he said.
Villarama assured public country's vital resources remain "stable," but reiterated his appeal to conserve water and electricity.
He noted effects El Niño would still be felt next month.
"We still have one month ... to hurdle before we hopefully transition to neutral condition in terms of climate pattern…we know that based on projection or forecast of PAGASA, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, climate pattern may shift to La Niña…but even if we are already at tail end of El Niño, it doesn't mean that we can be complacent, our resources are decreasing...if heat index rises, demand for electricity rises, so we have to conserve electricity…that also applies to water because of prevailing dry conditions…food supply may be affected, although our farmers are still harvesting and that can add to food supply…all our vital resources remain stable, but our appeal to conserve resources remains so that we can hurdle worst-case scenario at the end of this," he said.
Government is considering conducting cloud seeding operations, but its implementation will depend on needs of affected areas, according to Villarama.
He said cloud seeding has been conducted in Cagayan region, but it is not the primary intervention for El Niño.
"We have to fulfill condition that there should be seedable clouds, and it also depends on wind direction…if we conduct cloud seeding and wind direction shifts, it would just go to the sea," he added, noting that there was request to conduct operation in Magat Dam area.
Villarama cited case of Occidental Mindoro, not requesting for cloud seeding operation because some of its farmers are harvesting and drying their crops.
Prevailing drought in Negros Occidental has wreaked havoc on province's livestock and poultry industry, with damage pegged at over P10 million, following deaths of 11,556 chickens and other ruminants.
In her report to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Irene Bel Ploteña reported El Niño also affected 870 animal raisers in 95 barangays of 21 local government units in the province.
Ploteña further said 183.15 hectares of pasture in Hinigaran, Binalbagan, La Carlota City, Pontevedra, Murcia, Bago City and Moises Padilla also have been damaged by drought, with amount placed at P2,685,500.
She added that in terms of livestock and poultry damage, Isabela suffered most with 5,152 dead animals, costing P5,956.850, followed by Ilog with P1,482,950 damage because of deaths of 4,237 animals as of April 26.
Provincial veterinarian Dr. Placeda Lemana has attributed rising mortalities of livestock and poultry to heat index, as high as 43 degrees Celsius.
In terms of animals, Lemana noted huge losses among poultry, with more than 10,000 died.
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