Agricultural damage and losses from Tropical Cyclones Luis and Maymay and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon has climbed to P135.3 million, affecting 6,010 farmers and damaging 4,516 hectares of farmland across five regions, according to the Department of Agriculture.
The assessment covers the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Western Visayas, with production losses estimated at 4,465 metric tons. Rice, corn, high-value crops and livestock were among the commodities hit, while agricultural infrastructure, machinery and equipment also sustained damage. The tally is not final. The DA said field assessments and validation will continue as weather and ground conditions improve, raising the possibility that the damage bill could grow as more affected farms are reached. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. ordered DA units to move quickly on assistance, particularly insurance and credit support, as farmers begin rebuilding after the weather disturbances. “We need our people on the ground to move quickly so affected farmers can get the assistance they need, especially insurance claims and credit support,” Tiu Laurel said. “The faster we process these, the faster farmers can recover and get back to production.” The DA has lined up P106.5 million worth of agricultural inputs, including rice, corn and vegetable seeds, for distribution through its regional field offices. Farmers can also tap the Agricultural Credit Policy Council’s Survival and Recovery Loan Program for loans of up to P25,000. The loans carry zero interest and are payable over three years, giving affected producers access to working capital without adding interest costs while they rebuild. Insured farmers will also receive indemnification through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., with the DA coordinating funding for insurance and credit assistance through the PCIC and Agricultural Credit Polic Council. The DA regional offices are working with disaster risk reduction councils, local government units, and other agencies while monitoring agricultural prices and the movement of commodities. The response is aimed at preventing weather damage from becoming a longer-running supply problem. Lost crops mean not only lower farm incomes but also less produce entering markets, potentially adding pressure to food prices if disruptions persist. For farmers, timing is critical. Seeds and financing delivered after a planting window has passed may do little to restore lost production. That is why the DA is pushing field validation and assistance in parallel, rather than waiting for the final damage tally before releasing support. With assessments still underway, the P135.3-million figure is best viewed as an early measure of the storms’ economic toll, not the final bill.
