The Department of Agriculture over the weekend it will provide credit and insurance aid to farmers and fisherfolks affected by the dry spell due El Niño phenomenon.

DA Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Arnel de Mesa, who guested the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, said the government is allotting P500 million for credit assistance.

De Mesa was referring to DA’s Survival and Recovery (SURE) aid program which is ready to offer up to P25,000 in interest-free loan for three years to eligible farmers and fisherfolks. Additionally, through the Quick Response Fund, the department can provide essential farm inputs, while the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp is prepared to issue insurance claims of up to P25,000 for registered agricultural workers.

"This is P25,000 per affected farmer and fisherman. And then for the insurance claims, about P1.8 billion was allotted at a maximum of P20,000 to be distributed," De Mesa explained.

He added that the DA is also fast-tracking the distribution of P5,000 financial assistance to rice farmers and P3,000 fuel subsidy to both farmers and fisherfolks provided under the national budget.

“On the technical side, of course, ‘yung pagpupursige natin sa alternate wetting and drying technology na ma-adopt nung mga still nagtatanim ng palay,” De Mesa said.

As of 25 February, damage to agriculture is estimated at P357.4 million with damaged crops observed in farms of Ilocos, MIMAROPA region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula Regions.

De Mesa said a total of 7,668 farmers were already affected by the El Niño.

The dry spell on the other hand, affected around 6,523 hectares of farmland, with an estimated 11,480 metric tons of palay, 2,897 MT of corn, and 225 MT of high-value crops.

DA data showed the affected rice area was 5,011 hectares, while the production loss of 11,480 MT was around 0.12 percent of the target dry cropping season output for 2024.

The DA spokesperson added that as for corn, the area affected by the dry spell was 1,263 hectares or 0.11 percent of the total target area planted, while the production loss of 2,897 MT or 0.06 percent of target production for the 2024 dry cropping season.

Earlier this week, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. called on local authorities to study the declaration of calamity status to free up more funds to mitigate the adverse impact of the El Niño phenomenon.

He mobilized a rapid response team from the DA to deliver urgent aid to the island’s farmers and fisherfolks. The deployment aims to provide immediate relief and assess agricultural damage caused by the prolonged dry spell.

Secretary Tiu Laurel also appealed to local government units across Mindoro to officially declare a state of calamity, if warranted. Such declaration would enable DA to extend comprehensive assistance to affected communities, including financial aid, agricultural inputs like crop seeds, and livestock.

Aside from aid, the DA is also considering the feasibility of deploying solar-powered irrigation systems to irrigate agricultural lands and help farmers recover quickly.

Tiu Laurel has called on all levels of local government to collaborate with DA in identifying the most critically affected areas to expedite the delivery of essential services and support.

“I urge our mayors, governors, and other local government officials to engage with national government agencies promptly to alleviate the hardships faced by our citizens, particularly the vulnerable farmers and fisherfolks,” he said.