Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced its plans to source vegetables from the Visayas and Mindanao regions following significant crop damage in Luzon's vegetable-producing areas due to recent typhoons. DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa emphasized that both highland and lowland vegetables would be prioritized to stabilize the current high retail prices. According to Philippines News Agency, the DA-High Value Crops Development Program and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) are set to finalize their recommendations on alternative supply sources within the week. This move is a response to the extraordinary damage caused by recent weather events, which Assistant Secretary de Mesa described as historically unprecedented. De Mesa assured that logistics costs would not be an issue given the relatively lower vegetable prices in the Visayas and Mindanao. He also mentioned that vegetable importation might be considered if necessary, with potential imports expected to arrive by early December. The primary goal remains sourcing from domestic regions to avoid importation unless absolutely required. Additionally, the DA has plans to establish Kadiwa sites in areas affected by Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) to provide affordable food options to those impacted. Recent data from the DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center indicate that Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) and Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey) caused approximately PHP1.23 billion in damages, resulting in a production loss of 46,016 metric tons. Meanwhile, Typhoon Nika (Toraji) and Super Typhoon Ofel (Usagi) accounted for an additional 5,946 metric tons loss valued at PHP97.72 million. These losses encompass a variety of high-value crops, including vegetables, spices, legumes, and fruits.