DA7 Plays a Big Role on Agri Damages Evaluation

The regional office of the agriculture department in Central Visayas plays a big role in the evaluation of all agricultural damages brought about by the recent tropical storm Seniang.

Regional Technical Director Angel Enriquez in a statement said she is still waiting for the reports from all municipalities affected by the storm.

Based on the initial reports received by the Department of Agriculture (DA)7 regional office, tropical storm Seniang has ravaged high value crops including mango plantations and other agricultural products in the southern part of Cebu province.

A vast corn plantation which is supposed to be harvested in time when Seniang storm hit the areas was eventually affected.

Farm animals such as poultry, goats, chickens and others died when waters from the river basin overflowed into the residential areas of the towns of Ronda, Sibonga, Moalboal, Badian and nearby municipalities.

Roads, bridges and other government infrastructures in the municipalities of the south were also affected by the storm.

Earlier estimate of damages made by the Cebu Provincial Risk Reduction and Management council (CPRRMC) set a total of P500,000 to P800,000 worth including government infrastructures and private houses.

But until now the DA regional office in Mandaue city is still urging all municipal agriculturists in the southern municipalities of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces to hurry up in submitting their respective reports on agricultural damages for the regional office to make a total evaluation of everything.

They are the only personalities entrusted by the DA regional officials to make the official counting on all agricultural damages in their respective areas of responsibility.

The DA regional office evaluation will also be the basis of CPRRMC’s report to Malacañang.

Earlier, Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III asked financial support from President Benigno Aquino III, because of the huge damages on both government properties and private dwellings, and farm animals in Central Visayas.