ALL DRY A farmer in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur province visits her rice farm, now all dried up due to the absence of rain amid the El Niño weather phenomenon. The Zamboanga Peninsula is among the 11 regions in the country worst hit by the dry spell and drought. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAGADIAN CITY AGRICULTURE OFFICE
MANILA, Philippines — A party-list lawmaker on Sunday called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to provide accurate data on the extent of the damage to agriculture caused by El Niño, citing inconsistent information that could derail efforts to ease the impact of the climate phenomenon.
AGRI Party-List Rep. Wilbert Lee lamented the wide disparity in what he called the “confusing” and “inconsistent” data by the DA and the NDRMMC on the losses caused by El Niño.
He said the DA estimated agricultural damage as of April 30 at P5.9 billion, while the NDRRMC in its April 29 situation report pegged the damage at just P1.6 billion.
The DA also said El Niño has so far affected 113,585 farmers and fisherfolk in 12 regions and a total of 104,402 hectares of farm land.
READ: El Niño damage to PH agri nears P6B
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‘Appropriate mitigation’
The NDRMMC data placed affected farmers and fisherfolk at a far lower 46,805 while affected agricultural lands were estimated at 44,437 hectares .
Given the data discrepancy among these front-line agencies, it would be difficult for the government to implement the “appropriate mitigation and response,” Lee said.
“How much will be given to how many is reliant on the reports being published so I hope the agencies, which assess and release the data, properly communicate,” he said.
Accurate data was “crucial” in delivering sufficient and effective services and assistance to adversely affected sectors, the lawmaker said.
May to June forecast
According to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (Enso) Advisory No. 9, issued in March by weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), “mature El Niño is expected to continue” yet it was also showing signs of weakening.
The latest advisory also said majority of global climate models suggest that El Niño will likely persist until May, with the transition to “Enso-neutral” — wherein there is neither El Niño nor its opposite, La Niña, marked by increased rainfall — expected by June at the latest. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH