P147-M DA package readied for Mimaropa farmers ahead of El Niño
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Department of Agriculture in Mimaropa is preparing a ₱147-million assistance package to provide early support and cushion farmers in the region from the expected impacts of El Niño.
The comprehensive preparedness plan for the provinces of Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan was laid out during the 3rd Quarter meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) on September 24.
Preparations are already in full swing, the DA said, including close coordination with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to secure timely climate forecasts, as well as the prepositioning of seeds, fertilizers, planting materials, and farm machinery.
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Information campaigns and training sessions are also being conducted to guide farmers and local government units in coping with prolonged dry spells.
A centerpiece intervention is the Fuel Assistance to Farmers Project, which will extend P5,000 in fuel subsidy to eligible farmers listed under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA). In Palawan alone, over 2,100 farmers are projected to benefit.
Other assistance include the promotion of water-conserving farming practices, distribution of drought-resistant crop varieties, provision of critical farm inputs in affected areas, and intensified field monitoring and validation.
The DA underscored the need to act early, recalling that previous El Niño episodes damaged more than 35,000 hectares of agricultural land across the region and inflicted losses amounting to billions of pesos — including over P3 billion between June 2023 and March 2024.
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“These measures are not merely a response to the challenge of El Niño; they are part of our continuous effort to ensure that our farmers remain prepared and protected against the effects of climate change,” said Maria Teresa Carido, DA Development Management Officer for MIMAROPA said in a statement on Monday./coa
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