Floods leave P90-M crop losses in N. Cotabato

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – Floods destroyed nearly P90 million worth of crops in this province from July up to the early part of this month, officials said yesterday.

Among the areas worst hit by the floods were villages in Pikit, Pigcawayan, Tulunan, Kabacan, Carmen, Matalam, President Roxas, Antipas, Mlang ang Midsayap towns.

Most of the affected towns are located along the 220,000-hectare Liguasan Marsh, which serves as a catch basin for rivers surrounding the hinterlands, including the watersheds in Bukidnon and South Cotabato.

A report from the office of Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed that the damage to corn and rice crops reached P87 million.

The amount was based on estimates by local government units and municipal agriculturists.

Some P3 million worth of farm animals and newly planted seedlings have been swept away by the floods.

North Cotabato has been under a state of calamity since a powerful earthquake rocked Carmen town in June this year.

More than a hundred houses and several infrastructure facilities were destroyed in the quake.

Meanwhile, more than 50 villagers have been displaced by armed encounters between rival factions in the Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Matalam town from May to July.

More than 2,000 families also left their homes for fear that they might get caught in the crossfire during the series of attacks launched by the brigand Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Pikit, Aleosan and Midsayap in mid-July until early this month, according to documents obtained by The STAR.