Altermidya
By NUEL M. BACARRA
Kodao Productions
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Bikol (KMB) said Bicol farmers need urgent compensation and subsidy from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Office of the President due to flooding during Tropical Storm Enteng (International Name: Yagi).
KMB said its initial assessment and interviews among the affected farmers in Libon, Albay and in Bato and Nabua in Camarines Sur revealed that almost 400 hectares of rice fields that were scheduled for harvest this month had been inundated.
More than 400 farming families were affected by the floods that reached from three to seven feet, the group said.
KMB added it may take at least a month before the flooding subsides.
“Wala nang inaasahang maaani. Kung mayroon man, nasa lima hanggang 10 kaban na lamang at ito ay hindi na rin magandang klase ng palay at pagtiya-tiyagaan na lang na kainin ng pamilyang magsasaka na nasalanta,” KMB lamented.
(We could only expect zero harvest. At best, only five to 10 sacks of poor quality palay may be salvaged per hectare, which only the poor farmers may consume.)
KMB said the farmers are set to lose at least ₱30 to ₱40 thousand per hectare in production cost that could go to as high as ₱60 to ₱70 thousand if they used commercial fertilizers.
The farmers harvest from 60-150 sacks per hectare, depending on their respective fertilizer inputs and irrigation.
The regional peasant group said the farmers in the affected municipalities have given up on earning in this current cropping season due to the floods. It revealed that capital inputs are loans that have now become debts by the farmers.
“Suma-total, ang nawala at lugi ay ang ginastos at ang inaasahang kikitain sana mula sa aanihin. Dagdag pasanin pa ng mga magsasaka ang pagdoble ng porsyento ng kanilang mga utang dahil hindi sila makakabayad,” KMB explained.
(In total, the farmers lost their capital and expected income from the harvest. They also have to shoulder the burden of doubling interest on loans that they could no longer pay.)
KMB urged the DA to investigate the effects of the floods and ask the farmers they assistance they need.
“[S]ana ay makita ang kanilang palayan at sila ay matulungan. Panawagan nilang maibalik man lang ang gastos at ang nalugi o nawala na dapat nilang kikitain sa pag-ani nang sa gayon ay muling makapagtanim paghupa ng baha,” the group said.
(We hope the agency visit their rice fields and help them. The farmers are hoping that government reimburse the money they spent and their expected income to allow them to plant again after the floods subside. )
“The (DA) has budget for this and it should take into consideration the heavy losses the farmers incurred,” KMB said.
Meanwhile, the Camarines Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office reported that more than 20 municipalities are flooded since Monday, September 2.
Many roads and spillways are still impassable, the office added.
Classes are still suspended since Monday in all levels in Albay, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur provinces.
Authorities said that flood affected families in the region have reached 2,000. #
