MANILA, May 14 (Mabuhay) – The provincial government of Sarangani has declared a state of calamity due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.
The province’s agricultural office said that almost 8,000 hectares of rice and corn farms have been affected by the drought caused by El Niño.
Local disaster officials have pegged the El Niño’s damage to agriculture in the province at P2 million.
The disaster officials said part of the calamity fund will be used to build water pumps to provide irrigation to the affected farms.
They are also planning to provide sustenance to the affected farmers.
Last week, the local government of Koronadal City also declared a state of calamity due to the El Niño phenomenon.
The city government said more than 10,000 farmers have been affected by El Niño.
It also said that the phenomenon’s damaged to agriculture has reached P45 million.
The city government, meanwhile, can already use its P10-million quick response fund following the calamity declaration.
It said that it will use part of the fund to provide support the affected farmers and their families. (MNS)