Negros Occidental town to be placed under state of calamity

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The municipal disaster risk reduction and management council (MDRRMC) has recommended the declaration of a state of calamity in San Enrique, Negros Occidental due to El Niño.

The Sangguniang Bayan is expected to approve the recommendation of the MDRRMC during its regular session on Monday, according to San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara.

He said damage to agriculture in the town has reached P10 million, with 6,000 households affected.

Tubillara said rice fields and sugarcane plantations in 10 barangays were affected.

Fishponds were drying up, he added.

Tubillara said water rationing has likewise started in Barangay Tibsok.

He said the MDRRMC is urging the Department of Agriculture to conduct cloud seeding operations to induce rain.

Local government units (LGUs) under a state of calamity can tap their calamity funds to assist affected residents and implement measures to mitigate the impact of El Niño.

A state of calamity had earlier been declared in 18 LGUs due to the El Niño phenomenon.

These include 11 towns in Occidental Mindoro and two in Oriental Mindoro.

San Vicente in Palawan; San Andres, Romblon; Mayoyao, Ifugao; Sinaloa, Antique, and Zamboanga City have also been placed under a state of calamity.

In Cebu City, 28 mountain barangays were placed under a state of calamity after the city government declared a water crisis due to the impact of the dry spell.

The Task Force El Niño said certain criteria should be met before an area can be placed under a state of calamity.

The Department of Agriculture said damage due to El Niño has reached P2.63 billion nationwide.

The government has so far provided financial assistance, food packs and equipment worth P1.1 billion to affected farmers and residents.

More areas are expected to be affected by El Niño this month, officials said.