When floods threaten our food
Our farmers and fisherfolk feed this nation. In their most difficult moments, they should never feel that they are facing the storm alone.
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Our farmers and fisherfolk feed this nation. In their most difficult moments, they should never feel that they are facing the storm alone.
Every time heavy rains and floods come, we naturally worry about our homes, our streets and the safety of our families. But somewhere beyond our cities, other families are looking at a flooded rice field, a destroyed vegetable farm, or an overflowing fishpond.
For them, the flood is not simply an inconvenience. It can mean the loss of an entire season’s income and, sometimes, the food that was supposed to reach our tables.
Every year, we lose huge amounts in agricultural and fisheries production because of typhoons and floods. Our farmers and fisherfolk carry much of this burden.
Recent figures reported by the Department of Agriculture placed agricultural losses from tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon at P135.5 million, affecting 4,516 hectares of farmland and more than 6,000 farmers in several regions.
Behind those numbers are real people.
Imagine a mother and father who spent months planting rice, only to see their field underwater days before harvest. Think of a fisherman whose boat and nets were damaged in the rough weather. Yet these are often the same people who, even after losing so much, will share their vegetables with a neighbor, give a few kilos of rice to a relative, or help another farmer repair a damaged home.
These simple acts remind us of what generosity truly means. You do not have to be wealthy to have a generous heart. But generosity must also be reflected in public policy.
For a country visited by many tropical cyclones every year, protecting agriculture cannot simply begin after a storm. We need stronger irrigation and drainage systems, climate-resilient crops, accessible crop insurance, reliable weather information, affordable credit, and disaster-preparedness programs designed specifically for farmers and fisherfolk.
The Department of Agriculture has announced more than P100 million in assistance, including fertilizer, rice, corn and vegetable seeds, animal medicines and feeds. Affected producers may also access recovery loans, while insured farmers can seek indemnification through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.
These are important interventions. But our goal should not only be to help farmers recover. We must help them become more resilient before the next storm arrives. Because when our farmers suffer repeatedly, eventually all of us feel it.
Lower production can mean tighter food supplies and higher prices. What begins as a flooded farm in the province can eventually become a food-security problem for a family in Las Piñas, Metro Manila and anywhere else in the country.
There is also something each of us can do. We can support Filipino farmers by buying locally produced food. Communities and businesses can organize food and seed assistance after disasters. Those blessed with more can quietly help families whose livelihoods have been washed away.
The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 13:16: “Do not forget to do good and to share with others.”
Our farmers and fisherfolk feed this nation. In their most difficult moments, they should never feel that they are facing the storm alone.
A generous heart gives help after the flood. A wise and caring nation makes sure its people are better prepared before the next one comes.
