Zamboanga City was placed under a state of calamity due to the adverse effects of the continuing dry spell.
The local city council led by Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde, on request of Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco Salazar, met on a special session on Wednesday morning to consider the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Zamboanga’s public information office said.
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Data from City agriculturist Diosdado Palacat said that as of March 30, the damage due to dry spell and bush fires figured at P132.54 million with over 8.924 hectares planted with rice, corn, assorted vegetables, banana, rubber, cassava and coconut.
Of the total 25 irrigation dams in the city, the report said nine have dried up, six are in critical condition while 10 are below the normal water level.
READ: P155M in losses seen as farms dry up
The resolution declaring Zamboanga under a state of calamity was authored by Councilor Cesar Jimenez and seconded by Councilors Roel Natividad, Mike Alavar, Jerry Perez, VP Elago, Percival Ramos, Eduardo Saavedra, Rogelio Valesco Jr., Rodolfo Bayot, Myra Paz Abubakar and Melchor Sadain.
The declaration will allow the release of funds for mitigating measures. It will also speed up the conduct of cloud seeding operations.
READ: Cotabato farmers looking into cloud seeding to curb effects of dry spell
The cloud seeding operations will require a funding of P3 million as counterpart from the Department of Agriculture, P700,000 as counterpart from the Zamboanga City Water District and P300,000 as counterpart from the local government unit. IDL