Ilocos and Cagayan Valley among the hardest hit

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas seeks immediate help for farmers affected by the onslaught of the latest flooding.

In Ilocos Sur province where MECQ is imposed in two cities and 24 towns, typhoon stricken farmers are seeking immediate relief assistance from the government and private institutions. Severe tropical storm #MaringPH (International name Kompasu) lashed most of Northern Luzon over the weekend.

The latest calamity will further take a toll on the situation of farmers who are still reeling from the effects of lockdowns due to rising COVID cases, according to Danilo Ramos of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

According to local farmer organization Sanggir ken Urnos dagiti Mannalon iti Probinsya ti Ilocos Sur (SUMAPI), 11 municipalities in the province were hard hit including Sta. Maria, Sta. Lucia, Quirino, Gregorio Del Pilar, Candon, Sta. Cruz, Narvacan, Caoayan, Tagudin, Bantay, and Santa. Many towns were submerged in floodwaters. Farmers and residents are asking for food, clean drinking water, relief goods, and hygiene kits. They posted a call for support on the social media platform Facebook, Tuesday night. 

SUMAPI said rice fields in Bantay town were flooded, leaving farmers with nothing to harvest.

In Cagayan Valley, more than 80 barangays in seven towns were also severely affected. Farmers from Barangay Asinga-Via town tried to save what was left of their corn crops flooded in the onslaught of the typhoon. In Alcala and Baggao, wide swathes of palay and corn fields were flooded. “Daan-daang mga sako ng mais ang tinangay ng baha. Napakaraming tanim na mais at palay na hindi pa na-harvest ang nasira. Ang mga na-harvest na, inanod rin ng baha,” according to peasant leader Isabelo Adviento of DANGGAYAN-Cagayan, KMP’s chapter in Cagayan Valley.  

La Union and Cordillera provinces were also severely affected. KMP expressed concerns that the latest flooding will further devastate farmers’ livelihood. “Binaha at sira ang mga pananim. Walang kita ang mga magsasaka, may utang pa,” says Ramos. “The granting of P10,000 cash aid and P15,000 production subsidy to farmers is more urgent now than ever.”

Our farmers need immediate assistance — relief goods, cash aid, and production subsidies. Each time a typhoon ravages our provinces, they lose everything, the peasant leader said.  
KMP said prices of vegetables in local markets are expected to go up due to low supply.  Some 237 barangays or villages were affected in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Caraga and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Sagip Kanayunan, KMP’s relief and rehabilitation drive for farmers and rural sectors is also accepting in-kind and cash donations for typhoon MaringPH stricken farmers.