TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- The onslaught of Super Typhoon Lawin has already marked over P6.45 billion estimated damages in agriculture and infrastructure here in the province alone as of October 24, a report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) said.
The damage to agriculture reached P5,746,052,600 affecting 66,896 hectares of rice crops worth P5,036,930,000; 61,784 hectares corn crops worth P498,876,950; 2,511 hectares of high value commercial crops (HVCC) worth P66,613,150; and P143,632,150 Tilapia fish produce.
In infrastructure, Lawin left P706,725,550 worth of damages in classrooms, offices, district hospitals, capitol, sports complex, provincial roads and bridges.
About 16,000 houses were totally blown by the typhoon and 74,304 houses were partially damaged.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has already directed the local agriculture department here to come up with a verified data of farm families affected by ‘Lawin’ for the provision of a month-long relief goods.
He said affected farmers will receive relief goods that include 25 kilograms rice and 15 boxes of canned goods to sustain their families’ daily needs.
“Lubus-lubusin na natin silang tulungan hindi ‘yung pang isang araw na pagkain lang ang ibibigay,” the secretary said in a press conference here. Aside from relief goods, Piñol said they will also provide quality seeds, fertilizers and other farm subsidies for the affected farmers.
He also directed the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to submit to him the needs and list of fisherfolk affected by the typhoon “for appropriate interventions”. Julius Catulin/TNF
