By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The massive flooding in the northern part of Negros Occidental that greeted residents on New Year’s Day damaged an estimated PHP20-million worth of crops, livestock, poultry, and fishery.
Based on the data from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), about PHP16.5-million worth of agro-fishery was damaged in the flood that hit five localities, while the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported that animal raisers in 12 barangays in the cities of Talisay and Victorias lost almost PHP3.5-million.
In the agro-fishery sector, a total of 1,302 persons in 25 barangays in the cities of Sagay, Cadiz, Victorias, and Silay, and the town of E.B Magalona were affected. The flood damaged 727.85 hectares of farms.
The OPA reported that the most affected sector were 1,263 rice farmers in 19 barangays in the said cities and town.
The damage in 669.65 hectares or rice land resulted in PHP11.6-million in losses. Aside from that, 32 high value crop farmers in two barangays of Silay City, with a total area of 4.2 hectares, also lost was PHP840,000 worth of crops.
The flooding also affected the fishery sector, dealing about PHP4.1-million in damages to the fishpond sector, particularly bangus (milk fish) production across six fish producers in three barangays of E.B. Magalona for combined production area of 54 hectares.
A “tangkop” or shallow water fish water coral of a farmer was also destroyed in Silay City, leaving PHP20,000 in damages.
The floods caused by runoff water due to heavy rains affected more than 15,000 families, destroyed 75 houses and damaged 379 others in the cities of Talisay, Silay, Victorias, and E.B. Magalona town.
