Severe weather conditions—driven by tropical storms Crising, Dante, and Emong, along with intensified southwest monsoon rains—have inflicted P1.12 billion in agricultural damage across the Philippines, with rice farming the hardest hit, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Friday.
According to DA undersecretary Roger Navarro in briefing the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), over 45,000 farmers and fisherfolk were affected, and 43,741 hectares of farmland were damaged. Rice losses alone totaled P664.4 million, with nearly 20,000 metric tons of production wiped out—equivalent to about one-third of the nation’s daily rice consumption.
High-value crops, corn, and fisheries sustained further losses amounting to over P400 million. The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. estimates P268 million in initial payouts to nearly 46,000 insured farmers.
In response to the mounting crisis, the DA is deploying P653 million worth of seeds, livestock, and fishery inputs. It has also tapped its Quick Response Fund and coordinated P400 million in zero-interest loans through the Survival and Recovery (SURE) program. The National Food Authority has released over 43,000 bags of rice for immediate relief.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the urgency of recovery efforts, directing all DA agencies to intensify support to farmers. “Beyond assistance, our goal is to restore normalcy quickly,” he said.
The DA warned that damage figures may still rise, with ongoing field assessments and new weather systems developing.
