As the declaration of state of calamity is being studied, the municipal government of Cauayan in Negros Occidental is distributing food and financial assistance to the 127 farmers whose ricefields hit by the dry spell, brought about by El Niño weather phenomenon, Mayor John Rey Tabujara disclosed recently.
With fourteen of the 25 barangays affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon, the municipal government of Cauayan in Negros Occidental is looking into the possibility of declaring a state of calamity.
Tabujara reported that 126 hectares of rice and sugarcane fields in 14 of the 25 mountainous and coastal barangays of Cauayan have already been hit by the dry spell, with damage estimated at P14.4 million.
Provincial Agriculturist Dina Gensola disclosed yesterday that they are now validating reports of additional affected areas in Cauayan and Kabankalan City.
Regarding plans to conduct cloud seeding operations, Gensola said its necessity is now being assessed by various government agencies.
In the past two days, Tabujara said that Cauayan was blessed with continuing rains, which he added are a great help to crops affected by the dry spell.
As to the amount of financial assistance to be given to affected farmers, the mayor said he cannot give the exact amount, as of this time, although he assured that there is a budget for it.
In order that all rice farmers can benefit from the water system amid the threat of El Niño, the Federation of Irrigators Association Central Negros-Bago River Irrigation System has implemented a distribution schedule in areas it covers, yesterday disclosed its president, Pedro Limpangog.
Because of the irrigation system, areas covered by NIA-BRIS are not affected by the dry spell, unlike the southern part of the province, Limpangog said.
He added that they also coordinated with barangay officials to monitor the irrigation canals to ensure that it is clear of garbage.
We are coordinating with barangay officials to help in the cleanup of the irrigation canals so that even those at the tail-end of the irrigation system can receive water for their farms, he pointed out.
The BRIS, which covers 11,000 hectares, serves farmlands in the cities of Bacolod, Bago, and La Carlota, and the municipalities of Murcia, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Pontevedra, and Valladolid.
(Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy by TVDS)
