Iloilo Governor Affirms Support for Farmers Amid El Niño; Introduces Innovative Measures for Assistance

 ILOILO CITY – Governor Arthur Defensor assured on Thursday that the provincial government is ready to support Iloilo farmers affected by the El Niño phenomenon.

“We are prepared to provide input assistance sourced from our disaster funds. As part of our measures, given that El Niño results in a reduction of water, we are ready to augment our small-scale irrigation projects, and we have allocated a budget for that,” Defensor stated in a media briefing.

“Instead of offering cash assistance, we are working to secure insurance for eligible farmers so that in case of any impact, they can benefit from the government's insurance policy, which offers more substantial coverage,” he added.

Defensor explained that these measures are outlined in the agriculture and fisheries extension program. One key component is the 2023-2024 Agriculture and Fisheries Mitigation Programs and Rehabilitation Plan, which allocates PHP15 million for Sustainable Insurance from the Government for Upscaling and Revitalizing Agri-fishery Development and Opportunities (SIGURADO).

Farmers registered with the Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) are already assured of insurance. SIGURADO will extend coverage to those not enrolled with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC). The implementation of the SIGURADO program is set to commence this year.

Initial Damages of PHP100 Million

Meanwhile, the Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office is currently validating a report on drought damages from eight municipalities, covering 2,586.30 hectares, with an estimated cost of around PHP100 million.

“We don’t have the exact figure yet because this is a work in progress. The effects of the El Niño are also progressive, so we are waiting for more reports,” said Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo in his report to Governor Defensor.

Toledo mentioned that they are also validating reports from the municipalities of Tigbauan, Oton, Tubungan, Anilao, San Enrique, Cabatuan, Barotac Nuevo, and Miag-ao. The preliminary report indicates that 188.21 hectares out of 7,662.73 hectares with standing crops in the eight towns are totally damaged, and 2,398.09 hectares are partially damaged.(PNA)