Manila: Effective flood control projects could significantly cut annual rice production losses caused by typhoons and other weather disturbances, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday. At a press briefing on Monday, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa emphasized that the extent of damage to palay (unhusked rice) largely hinges on the duration of submersion caused by floodwaters.

According to Philippines News Agency, de Mesa stated, "If our flood control system is effective-if flooding occurs but quickly subsides-damage to the agriculture sector will be minimized." This statement follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s recent remarks highlighting irregularities in certain flood control projects. De Mesa further explained that the agricultural sector suffers when floods are not promptly mitigated.

The DA estimates annual rice production losses due to typhoons and flooding to be between 500,000 metric tons (MT) and 600,000 MT. Besides the impact on crops, de Mesa noted that flooding adversely affects livestock, irrigation facilities, and other agricultural infrastructure.

He also advocated for sustained budget support for the irrigation and drainage systems managed by the DA-Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). "With a portion of PHP100 billion allocated to irrigation and drainage, we could provide water to thousands of hectares of farmland while also addressing flooding," de Mesa commented.

The DA identifies approximately 1 million hectares of potentially irrigable land in the country. De Mesa remarked that these irrigation and drainage facilities could also serve as flood control infrastructure, presenting a dual benefit for agricultural productivity and disaster mitigation.