Financial, food aid sought for farmers hard-hit by El Niño

MANILA, Philippines — A farmers' group on Monday called on the government to provide assistance to farmers grappling with the effects of the weak El Niño as it stressed that authorities should have learned their lesson from the incident in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato three years ago.

Zenaida Soriano, National Federation of Peasant Women chair, said the government should take effective and immediate measures to ease the impact of drought on farmers to prevent a repeat of the Kidapawan incident.

“The Kidapawan massacre survivors’ calls for justice remain elusive three years after the bloody dispersal,” Soriano said.

She added: “As we renew our call for accountability over the death of two protesters and illegal arrest and detention of more than 80 individuals including pregnant women and elderly, we reiterate our demand to government agencies and local government units to release economic support and food assistance to farmers heavily affected by the ongoing El Niño.”

A drought that ravaged farmlands in 2016 prompted 6,000 farmers to block the Davao-Cotabato Highway in Kidapawan City, demanding release of rice and food aid. But the demonstration ended violently, leaving two dead and scores wounded.

“Hindi na dapat hintayin pa ng gobyerno ang pangangalampag at protesta ng mga magsasaka para ibigay ang suportang nararapat sa kanila,” Soriano said.

(The government should not wait for farmers to protest to give the support they deserve.)

RELATED: Pimentel sees lapses in Kidapawan rally dispersal | Elections complicate El Niño response in Sultan Kudarat

Agri damage reaches P4.35 billion

Agricultural damage caused by the weak El Niño further went up to P4.35 billion as of March 31, according to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center of the Department of Agriculture.

Around 149,914 hectares of agricultural areas were damaged by the drought and dry spell, with 79,044 farmers reporting losses.

The production loss for rice hit P2.69 billion or 125,590 metric tons, while the production loss for corn reached P1.66 billion or 107,417 metric tons.

PAGASA said the ongoing weak El Niño may result in prolonged dry spell and hotter air temperatures in the coming months.

El Niño is expected to last until June. — Gaea Katreena Cabico