Oriental Mindoro town under state of calamity due to El Niño
A MUNICIPALITY in Oriental Mindoro was placed under a state of calamity due to El Niño phenomenon.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro was declared under a state of calamity following a resolution by the Bulalacao government.
According to the municipal government, the rivers and fields in the town have already dried up, affecting water supply and crops.
It said the dry spell has affected around 500 hectares of onion plantation, 539.1 hectares of palay, and 20.2 hectares of other crops.
The local government unit said farmers are now digging for water sources to save their crops.
According to the NDRRMC, the damage to agriculture due to the impact of the El Niño phenomenon has increased to over P941 million.
Western Visayas reported the highest value of agricultural damage worth P564,056,192, followed by Mimaropa with P319,755,957, Ilocos with P54,450,077, Calabarzon with P2,750,947, and Zamboanga with P717,527.
Since December 2023, six barangays in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental have reported shortages of water for drinking and agricultural use.
The NDRRMC said a total of 16,709 farmers and fisherfolks were affected by the dry spell.
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) declared the start of the El Niño phenomenon on July 4 last year.
