TOLENTINO
Disaster preparedness and safety expert Francis Tolentino urged government to provide immediate economic assistance to farmers and fishermen to mitigate the economic disaster wrought by the weather phenomenon El Nino, which continues to destroy farmlands and fisheries.
Tolentino said in Negros Occidental alone, El Nino destroyed about P16.7 million worth of palay in two municipalities covering at least 901 hectares of farmlands and affected 859 rice farmers in 24 villages of Hinigaran and Hinoba-an towns.
Tolentino said besides damage to palay production, the dry spell has affected the water level in the country’s river system and dams.
“The two most affected sectors – agriculture and fisheries – need full government assistance because they are suffering from the impact of El Nino,” he said.
Tolentino said farmers have to endure dry spell for about two to three months as a result of El Nino.
“We should mitigate the effects of El Nino at once before it wreaks economic havoc,” he said.
According to reports, El Niño threatens to dry up lands even worse than the ‘97-‘98 El Niño. In 1998, weather disasters contributed to a 4.4% decline in our 2nd quarter GDP growth rate, significantly contributing to the Asian financial crisis.
The same report said that the fishing industry alone suffered a whopping P7.24 billion in losses.