Amid rains, Isabela reels from drought

CITY OF ILAGAN—Despite the onset of the monsoon season, the Isabela provincial agriculture office has recommended the declaration of a state of calamity in the province due to almost P1 billion in crop damage attributed to the dry spell.

Danilo Tumamao, Isabela provincial agriculturist, made the recommendation after a team confirmed that 23 drought-hit towns and cities in Isabela had lost P966-million worth of corn and P35-million worth of rice in less than five weeks from July.

“The damage may even increase as farmers have yet to harvest their crops,” Tumamao said.

Although parts of Luzon like Bulacan, Pampanga and Pangasinan provinces were flooded, the rain in Isabela last week was barely enough to irrigate most farms.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, rainfall in Isabela from Aug. 1 to 22 was 37.3 percent below normal.

Tumamao said 54,065 hectares of corn farms were destroyed between July and August, representing almost half of Isabela’s corn fields.

Last year, Isabela was placed under a state of calamity for the loss of P705-million worth of corn due to the dry spell.