Benguet under state of calamity as rains destroy crops

SPARED A vegetable farmer in La Trinidad town, Benguet province, sprays fertilizer over his lettuce patch, which was spared by monsoon rains in the province. —KARLSTON LAPNITEN

SABLAN, BENGUET—This province, the country’s top vegetable producer, has been placed under a state of calamity to help access funds for repairing roads and farms after weeks of monsoon rains in July and August.

Gov. Crescencio Pacalso announced the declaration on Monday after being told that the rains had damaged P163.8 million worth of crops, vegetables, and infrastructure.

Benguet supplies more than 80 percent of the country’s semitemperate vegetable demand such as cabbage, carrot, cauliflower and lettuce.

The government needs P84.25 million to repair national roads and bridges while P13 million is needed to restore farm-to-market roads, Pacalso said.

Veggie supply

But he said the rains had not affected production and a steady supply of vegetables was still being delivered to the trading post in La Trinidad, the capital town.

Initial reports showed farmers had lost P44.496 million worth of crops, livestock, poultry and facilities.

Close to 2,900 farmers were heavily affected by strong rains brought about by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by three tropical depressions.

The rains triggered 103 landslides and 14 road slips. Damage to public infrastructure was initially placed at P100.25 million while that to private homes was estimated at P19.105 million.

Five people died from landslide-related incidents while eight others were hurt. One person was missing in Mankayan town. —KARLSTON LAPNITEN