P5.48-B worth of rice saved due to early advisory on Typhoon Ulysses– DA

FILE –A farmer spreads fertilizer granules as he walks through his rice field in Bambang town, Nueva Vizcaya province.  —KARLSTON LAPNITEN/FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Rice amounting to P5.48 billion was saved due to early advisories of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on the powerful Typhoon Ulysses, the agency said Thursday.

In a bulletin issued at 10 a.m., DA said a total of 69,716 hectares of rice have been saved from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Regions II, III and IV-A with an equivalent production of 341,812 metric tons.

For corn, DA said a total of 1,550 hectares have been saved from Regions I, II, and III with an equivalent production of  6,758 metric tons amounting to P85.62 million.

However, DA has yet to provide updates on damage and losses, saying it will provide such information as soon as it receives reports from the affected regional field offices.

“The Department is in close coordination with concerned NGAs (national government agencies), LGUs and other DRRM-related offices for the impact of TY ‘ULYSSES’ and available resources for interventions and assistance; as well as with water management-related agencies for flood risk monitoring and dam water release,” DA said.

“Close monitoring for possible damage and losses that may be incurred in the agri-fisheries sector is also ongoing,” it added.

DA assured affected farmers and fishers that assistance will be available such as the following:

• A total of 104,544 bags of rice seeds; 10,223 bags of corn seeds, and 1,149 kilograms of assorted vegetables
• Drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry;
• Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC); and
• Indemnification fund from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to pay for the losses incurred

As of 1 p.m., the eye of Ulysses was last spotted 140 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales. It is packing maximum sustained winds 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph, while moving from 25 kph to 35 kph.

Pagasa said moderate to heavy rains will persist until Thursday night over Cordillera Administrative Region, the eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Cavite, the western portion of Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island.

CFC