Damage to agri, infra from bad weather breaches ₱1.5B

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 28) — The estimated cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure from weather disturbances since Jan. 2 has breached ₱1.5 billion, disaster response officials reported on Saturday.

Latest data from National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed 54,850 hectares of crops were affected due to the combined effects of low pressure areas (LPAs), northeast monsoon or amihan, and shear line.

The country lost over 14,290 metric tons of agricultural products, amounting to ₱1.005 billion.

Early this week, the Department of Agriculture said around 84% of the tallied agricultural damage and losses came from the rice sector.

The NDRRMC said 44,838 farmers and fisherfolk across 11 regions in the country were affected, with at least 18,000 agricultural workers recorded from Eastern Visayas.

For infrastructure damage, the NDRRMC pegged the estimated cost at ₱535.9 million. The agency said a total of 268 establishments were damaged.

Disaster response officials also reported six damaged infrastructures of the National Irrigation Administration in Calabarzon.

Cost of other damaged assets — including educational materials, electronics, facilities and equipment, construction materials, and furniture — was estimated at ₱45.3 million.

According to the NDRRMC, the bad weather since Jan. 2 left 40 people dead, 11 injured, and seven missing.

Heavy rains and floods have affected 481,362 families, or 1,966,117 people in the country, it added.