(Eagle News) — Zamboanga City, and four towns of North Cotabato have been placed under a state of calamity because of the effects of El Niño, or long dry spell, that is affecting the local agricultural sector.
The City council approved the declaration for the state of calamity in Zamboanga City after the recommendation made by the City Disaster Risk Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde said that the dry spell affected rivers and other water systems which resulted in the lack of irrigation for some farms.
With the declaration of the state of calamity, Zamboanga’s local government can now have access to calamity funds.
The City Disaster Risk Reducation and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the City Agriculturist Office had already recommended buying some P43.8 million worth of equipment, fertilizers, cloud seeding, vegetable seeds and food for work program to address problems brought about by the drought
The towns of Alamada, Aleosan, Mlang and Pikit in North Cotabato were also placed under a state of calamity because of the drought.
The Provincial Agriculture Office said that the damage to agriculture brought about by the dry spell had reached P378 million.
The country’s weather bureau, PAGASA< said that the country will experience a “weak El Niño” until June.
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