Kristine agriculture damage increases to P5.75 billion

MANILA, Philippines — The amount of damage to agriculture caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine has increased to P5.75 billion, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The DA said Kristine displaced up to 131,661 farmers and fisherfolk, and destroyed over 100,000 hectares of farmlands.

Of the damaged farmlands, 38,466 hectares have no chance of recovery, the DA said.

Among crops, rice incurred the most losses amounting to P4.25 billion or 516,438 tons.

Up to P847 million worth of high-value crops, including spices, legumes and fruits, were wasted due to Kristine.

Corn and cassava incurred P72.15 million and P38.89 million in losses, respectively.

The fishery sector incurred P446.22 million worth of damage.

The DA said it would provide P541.02 million worth of agricultural inputs to address the damage caused by Kristine.

Another P500 million was allocated for the survival and recovery loan program, which would lend farmers up to P25,000 payable in three years without interest.

60,367 families still in evacuation centers

Despite improving weather conditions, up to 60,367 families or 261,612 people displaced by Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon are still in evacuation centers.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Kristine and Leon left trails of massive destruction, particularly in Bicol and Calabarzon as well as Batanes.

The NDRRMC said the combined effects of the two cyclones displaced up to 2.2 million families or 8.5 million people in 82 provinces.

The agency reduced Kristine’s fatality count from 150 to 149, with 120 people injured and 30 others missing.

As of yesterday, no deaths, injuries or missing people due to Leon were reported.

The total cost of assistance provided to families affected by the typhoons has reached P1.12 billion, the NDRRMC said.

Of the figure, P587.8 million in assistance were given to victims of Kristine in Bicol.

Search for missing cargo ship continues

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is searching for a cargo vessel with 10 crewmembers on board that was reported missing at the height of Kristine.

The M/V Sta. Monica-A1, owned by the Synergy Sea Ventures Inc., left the port of Sta. Cruz in Taytay, Palawan on Oct. 22.

The vessel was reportedly headed to the nearby port of Casian when it lost contact with authorities on Oct. 27.

Fishermen from the town of Mamburao in Occidental Mindoro recovered 10 empty liquefied petroleum gas tanks on Oct. 28.

The tanks, believed part of the cargo of the Sta. Monica, were sold by the fishermen.

The PCG said it was able to trace the buyer of the tanks.

The following day, a resident of Barangay Marikit in the neighboring town of Paluan reported spotting two bodies and other objects floating in the sea. A fisherman said he also saw the floating objects.

On Oct. 30, another fisherman recovered a life jacket bearing the name of the ship as well as two unmarked life rings off the coast of Paluan.

The owner of the Sta. Monica sought the help of the PCG following the recovery and sightings of floating objects.

The PCG deployed its 251 Islander aircraft, which flew over the seas of Mamburao and El Nido.

It said it would continue the search until the vessel is found. — Michael Punongbayan, Ghio Ong