The value of damage to Philippine agriculture due to the onslaught of El Niño has further inflated to nearly P6 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday.

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said that as of Tuesday, the agricultural losses are now valued at P5.9 billion, with rice crops incurring the biggest production damage amounting to P3.1 billion, followed by corn with an estimated value loss of P1.76 billion.

High-value crops, on the other hand, suffered P958 million worth of crop losses.

The hardest El Niño-hit areas were reported to be the MIMAROPA Region, registering almost P1.71 billion in production losses; Western Visayas, with a value of P1.5 billion; Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), with P768 million; and Cagayan Valley, with P562 million worth of losses.

P541 million worth of aid extended

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Thursday that assistance worth P541 million was given to ten regions significantly affected by the weather phenomenon.

These regions were Cagayan Valley, CAR, Mimaropa, Bicol, the whole Visayas region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

According to the NDRRMC, the extended aid included food packs, rice, fuel, and hygiene kits.

Task Force El Niño recently revealed that 131 cities and municipalities have been placed under a state of calamity due to El Niño, which includes the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and South Cotabato.