Crop damage from Typhoon Rai has reached P9 billion covering 12 regions and more than 350,000 hectares of farmland, the听Agriculture听department said on Friday.听
Production losses hit 194,671 metric tons (MT), affecting 132,658 farmers and fisherfolk, it said in a statement.听
Fishery damage reached P3 billion or a third of the total, followed by rice at P1.9 billion or 21.2%, coconut at P1.5 billion or 16.6% and sugarcane at P1.2 billion or 12.8%.听
Losses were reported in the听Calabarzon听region,听Mimaropa, Bicol, Western, Central and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao,听Soccsksargen听and听Caraga听region, the agency said.听
Caraga听reported damage in fishery facilities and infrastructure worth P142.3 million, it said, citing the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.听
The听Agriculture听department said it would provide at least P2.9 billion to affected agricultural workers, including P828 million in crop support听and听P500 million in credit.听
Meanwhile, damage听to public infrastructure听has听reached P3.71 billion, the听Department of听Public Works听and Highways (DPWH)听said in a separate statement.听
In a separate statement听late Thursday, the agency said听there was听P2.87 billion听worth of damage on听roads, followed by P602.48 million听on bridges, P349.26 million听on flood-control structures and P650,000听on other public buildings.听
Central Visayas had the largest damage at P1.68 billion, followed by Eastern Visayas at P963.64 million, Western Visayas at P549.65 million,听the听Caraga听region at P230 million,听Mimaropa听at P157.83 million and Northern Mindanao at P134.34 million.听
Public Works and Highways Secretary Roger G. Mercado听said听46 national road sections had听been cleared and reopened.听
The reopening of roads allowed the听National听Government and local government units to immediately extend relief efforts especially in areas听hit hard by the typhoon,听he said in the statement.听
鈥淲hile most are taking a break this holiday season, the DPWH quick response teams are out in the field working tirelessly to clear roads and help our听fellowmen听affected by Typhoon Odette,鈥 he added.听
The agency said it was听clearing three road sections in听the听Caraga听region due to road slip, damaged detour road and bridge, soil slope collapse,听road cut and sinking or collapsed pavement.听
The road sections included听Dinagat-Loreto Road in San Jose,听Mahayahay听in听Dinagat听Islands; NJR听Bayugan-Calaitan-Tandag听Road in听the village of听Lucena,听Prosperidad听and NRJ Bah-Bah-Talacogon听Road in听the village of听Berseba,听Bayugan听City听both in听Agusan听del Sur听province.听
Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya听on Wednesday听said the government听was听giving P4.8 billion听in听cash aid to听4.8 million typhoon听survivors.听鈥斕Luisa Maria Jacinta C.听Jocson听and听Revin听Mikhael听D.听Ochave听
