The Ilocos Region has sustained substantial agricultural damage totaling PHP130 million due to the ongoing El Niño phenomenon, with corn crops bearing nearly half of the total losses.
According to Philippines News Agency, the information officer at the Department of Agriculture-Ilocos, the adverse weather conditions have primarily impacted corn production, resulting in PHP63.8 million in losses. Rice fields and high-value crops have also suffered, incurring PHP53.9 million and PHP12.6 million in damages, respectively. The dry spell has adversely affected 5,925 farmers across 2,966.98 hectares of agricultural land in Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte, while no significant damage reports have emerged from La Union or in the livestock sector as of yet.
Cacal highlighted that corn has been particularly vulnerable due to its current planting season, contrasting with the rice cropping cycle which is just beginning. In response, the Department of Agriculture has earmarked PHP1.5 billion to mitigate the impact of El Niño, distributing financial assistance and essential resources such as seeds, water pumps, and solar-powered irrigation systems to the impacted farmers.
This action aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s initiative, outlined in Executive Order No. 53 signed on January 19, which aims to revitalize the El Niño Task Force. This renewed directive calls for the development of an exhaustive disaster preparedness and recovery strategy addressing both El Niño and La Niña phenomena, ensuring targeted, effective interventions to support affected communities and reduce the potential for future agricultural setbacks.