DA-Cordillera gears up for La Niña

DA-Cordillera gears up for La Niña | Daily Tribune

BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA) Cordillera is conducting an information campaign for the public to be ready for the impact of the coming La Niña in the region.

DA Cordillera Regional Technical Director for Operations Danilo Daguio disclosed that the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center of the department has been reactivated as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported a 69 percent chance of La Niña being felt in the region starting July until September this year.

Daguio explained that the center will monitor the present situation of standing crops in the region.

“What we will be focusing on this La Niña are the low-lying production areas that are prone to flooding or those normally located in river dams and creeks, aside from those areas prone to landslides,” he said.

The DRRM Operations Center of the DA Cordillera is now monitoring the production areas located in Benguet, Mountain Province, and parts of Ifugao, aside from updating every two weeks the standing crops to determine the stage of plant growth in the different production areas in the region. The date gathered will provide an estimate of the value of possible damages once a calamity occurs.

According to Daguio, they are currently preparing the information-education campaign materials on what the farmers should know about La Niña which will be disseminated through multi-media platforms. He added they are also scheduling a visit to identified vulnerable areas to meet the farmers and the department’s partners in the different local government units to disseminate the actions farmers should undertake.

He also said that coordinations are being conducted with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation for the possible insurance of affected crops during calamities to replace the expenses incurred in their production activities.

As part of its yearly preparations for any calamities or disasters, seed reserves are being prepared in times when there is an impending calamity. Rice, corn, and vegetable seeds are readily available particularly during times of calamities that will be distributed to affected farmers for them to replace their plants affected by a calamity.