The latest report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed that the country’s agriculture sector has now suffered over P1 billion worth of damage and losses brought by the onslaught of El Niño.

The estimated production loss to agriculture now stands at P1,056,379,891.26, the NDRRMC reported Wednesday.

The Western Visayas remains the hardest hit area, registering a cost of damage worth P678,705,381.73.

Meanwhile, Mimaropa has an estimated production loss of P319,755,957.97, and Calabarzon has P2,750,947.56.

Zamboanga Peninsula, on the other hand, incurred a P717,527 value loss, and the Ilocos Region incurred P54,450,077.

The NDRRMC noted that the areas of crops affected by El Nino are at 17,718.11, affecting 23,086 farmers and fishermen.

Furthermore, water supply interruptions were recorded in the Western Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.

The NDRRMC noted that six barangays in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental—Cabadiangan, Nabalian, Carabalan, Su-ay, To-oy, and Buenvaista—have been experiencing a shortage in water supply for drinking and agricultural use since December 2023.

As of 6 March 2024, only the municipality of Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro was declared under a state of calamity.

Moreover, P362,564,850 worth of financial assistance has been provided to Mimaropa.

PAGASA earlier said that an estimated 40 provinces are forecast to experience drought conditions by the end of April this year, while 13 provinces might experience dry conditions and 25 provinces might experience dry spells.

Thus, an increase in agriculture damage and losses could be expected in the coming months.

“Sa nakikita nga natin, meron nga tayong nakikitang around 40 provinces na mas magpapatuloy yung reduction dun sa tubig ulan; therefore, mas madadagdagan yung mga areas na maapektuhan,” PAGASA Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section chief Analiza Solis told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

(From what we can see, we can see that there are around 40 provinces where the reduction in rainwater will continue; therefore, the areas that will be affected will increase more.)

Moreover, the Department of Agriculture assured the affected population that they would be given government assistance, including insurance and financial aid, which would come from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, and the Quick Response Fund.