Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Monday the allocation of PHP106.5 million in agricultural aid to support farmers affected by the recent tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay, as well as the intensified southwest monsoon, locally known as 'habagat'.

According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative follows the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Operations Center's report of PHP135.3 million in agricultural damages across the Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the urgency of providing swift intervention to aid Filipino food producers in their recovery efforts. "The faster we process these, the faster farmers can recover and get back to production," stated Tiu Laurel.

In addition to the immediate distribution of rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, Tiu Laurel assured farmers of the availability of zero-interest loans and indemnification programs through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC). He highlighted the need for quick action on the ground to facilitate insurance claims and credit support for affected farmers.

The ACPC's Survival and Recovery (SURE) loan program offers farmers the opportunity to borrow up to PHP25,000, repayable over three years without interest. Insured farmers will also benefit from indemnification through the PCIC.

DA-DRRM's Bulletin No. 3 reported that, as of Monday at 8 a.m., at least 6,010 farmers across five regions were affected, resulting in a volume loss of 4,465 metric tons (MT). Rice production suffered the most significant damage, estimated at PHP102.01 million, followed by irrigation facilities at PHP16.1 million, high-value crops at PHP11.92 million, corn at PHP4.05 million, farm structures at PHP1.2 million, and livestock losses totaling PHP43,600 for 38 goats and ducks.