The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Monday reported that Western Visayas remains the hardest-hit area of the prevailing El Niño as damages and losses to its agriculture sector exceed P600 million.

In its latest report, the NDRRMC said that the estimated agriculture production loss of the said region now stands at P678,705,381.7 and the number of affected farmers and fishermen stand at 18,039, affecting 13,363.39 hectares of crops of which 1,122.89 hectares deemed unrecoverable.

For the cost of damage in value, Iloilo has incurred worth P470,089,747 loss, Negros Occidental with P55,088,956.24, Antique with P120,637,519.17, Capiz with P2,702,000, and Aklan with P30,187,159.32.

Meantime, the municipality of Dumangas in Iloilo province has the biggest damage in crops, with a rice volume loss of 5,034.85 metric tons valued at P120,836,330.4.

Water supply interruptions were also experienced in Negros Occidental.

But while the devastation is massive, no province in the region was placed under a state of calamity.

Previously, five areas in Mimaropa declared a state of calamity — Bulalacao (San Pedro) and Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro; Looc, Magsaysay and San Jose in Occidental Mindoro.

Also placed under state of calamity is Zamboanga del Sur, specifically in Zamboanga City.

The NDRRMC cited that the government has already provided over P432 million in assistance to Mimaropa.

Earlier, the Department of Agriculture earlier assured the public that the country has enough rice buffer stock to meet local demands amid the El Niño onslaught.

“Our buffer stock is okay, and right now the harvest season has started this March, April, until May. The National Food Authority also continues purchasing [palay],” said DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa.