By Danilo P. Padua, PhD
As this piece is being written, the harsh weather condition spawned last August is still making life difficult, especially from Metro Manila to Northern Luzon. In the Cordilleras, Baguio and Benguet bore the brunt of typhoons Luis and Maymay, and the effect of southwest monsoon or Habagat.
The PAG-ASA rainfall report for August was so gloomy but not that startling. Afterall, the month is normally the peak of rainy season in the country. In short, plans should consider this fact in preparatory actions. When it is not given due course and recognition, consequential responses would come pitifully short. Thats when it becomes startling.
But let us see the weather report. For the month of August, rainfall in most parts of Luzon, was unusual; either doubled or tripled the expected downpour for this particular month. Metro Manila and most parts of Central Luzon experienced this. The report show that 3 days alone (Aug 8, 17, and 29) accounted for about 500mm of rainfall which is almost 300% more than the normal. That is why, flooding in those areas was unavoidable, surely even if good flood control projects were in place.
In Baguio and Benguet the rainfall scenario was even worse. Baguio got 2,626.26 mm of rain for the same month, compared to the normal which is 963.2mm.
La Trinidad experience was even grimmer. It received 2,888.7mm which is the highest in the entire country. The average annual rainfall in the Baguio-La Trinidad area ranged from 3,800 to 4,340mm-the highest nationwide as well. Elsewhere in the Philippines, the average annual rainfall is only 2,500mm.
In Benguet, the August weather induced severe soil erosion, many landslides and flooding affecting infrastructures, agricultural farms, education, businesses and others. It was so devastating it pushed the provincial LGU to declare a state of calamity. This would allow it to address the devastation more rapidly: rehabilitation, helping the farmers and the various affected sectors of the province.
As usual, when typhoons come and flooding occurs, the agriculture sector is heavily affected. According to the Provincial Agriculture Office, headed by PAO Delinia Juan, more than 6,000 farmers reported direct crop losses, damaged equipment and machineries, and washed out farmlands amounting to about PhP477 million.
The agricultural problem was exacerbated by lack of buyers at BAPTC, La Trinidad Trading Post and other vegetable trading centers. Lines and lines of trucks full of vegetables waiting for days could not unload their produce for lack of buyers.
We can not fault the farmers for dumping their veggies along the roads, especially in Tublay as they started rotting due to rains.
This heart-wrenching scenarios lend support to House Bill 8405 filed in Congress early this year by Benguet Congressman Eric Yap. The bill is entitled, “An act establishing a vegetable processing plant in the province of Benguet and appropriating funds thereof.”
Maybe as amendment to the provision of the bill, a smaller version of the plant should also be established within the Bakun-Kibunga-Atok area, the 3 municipalities with the most agricultural damage during the August weather disturbances. This is prompted by occurrences of soil erosions and landslides within the area blocking the passage of veggie trucks to La Trinidad.
Good to hear that the Provincial LGU and the various municipal LGUs had already started providing some help to farmers, small entrepreneurs and other affected citizens.
By the way, DA Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel, directed the CAR Regional Office to immediately assess the situation and take the necessary steps to assist veggie farmers in addressing challenges caused by weather disruptions and market constraints.
In itself, the directive show great concern for the CAR veggie industry. However, with this kind of problem, the regional office is very limited in its ability to address it. In so far as the problem on vegetable production itself is concerned, that is within their capability to address promptly. For concerns like market access and losses after harvesting, that call for long-term solutions. That means pro-actively crafting guidelines for possible solutions within the agency-and maybe in coordination with other agencies.
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