DA earmarks P8.5B for farmers, fisherfolk hit by typhoons
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allotted P8.5 billion to aid farmers and fisherfolk distraught by the series of typhoons that recently hit the country.
The money—pooled from funds allocated to the agency under the Bayanihan 2 law, its quick response fund, emergency loans and funding from its attached agencies—is expected to give enough reprieve to stakeholders who lost their livelihood.
Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan said the interventions would come in the form of seeds, fertilizers, farm machinery and equipment, ready-to-lay birds, livestock animals, veterinary drugs and biologics, fingerlings, boats and postharvest equipment.
It would also include the insurance coverage provided by Philippine Crop Insurance Corp.
Of the total, P2.37 billion and P1.07 billion would be dedicated to stakeholders in Cagayan and Bicol regions, respectively, who were the most adversely affected by the calamities.
The rest would be distributed to the regions of Cordillera (P382 million), Ilocos (P313.8 million), Central Luzon (P281.5 million), Calabarzon (P736 million) and Mimaropa (P914 million).
As of Thursday, the DA has recorded a total of P12.8 billion in damage and losses incurred by the agriculture sector from the succeeding onslaught of seven typhoons—“Nika,” “Ofel,” “Pepito,” “Quinta,” “Rolly,” “Siony” and “Ulysses.”
