#KristinePH ravages Bicol, intensifies plight of farmers and fisherfolk

Severe Tropical Storm #KristinePH (Trami) has once again revealed the failures of the Marcos Jr. administration to protect Filipinos from the severe impacts of natural disasters. In fact, according to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Marcos Jr can be regarded as the worst disaster to hit the country. “Nowhere is this more evident than in Bicol, where decades of neglect by political dynasties have left the region vulnerable to catastrophic damage.”

In Bicol, government data shows that over 12,000 families in 71 municipalities were affected. Torrential rains submerged farmlands and damaged homes, with rice crops, set for November harvest, completely lost. Livestock and fishing livelihoods have also been crippled, worsening the plight of rural communities.

Provinces including Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, and Camarines Norte have declared a state of calamity. Thousands of families have been evacuated, and widespread flooding and landslides have rendered roads and bridges impassable.

In Albay, the rains triggered lahar flows from Mt. Mayon, burying over 300 homes in Guinobatan. KMP blames these destructive flows not only on the storm but on decades of unchecked quarrying in the region. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reports that over 135 quarrying companies operate in Albay, contributing to environmental degradation.

“Despite recently hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, the government has once again shown a lack of preparedness, favoring ineffective infrastructure projects over meaningful disaster prevention. The communities affected by flooding and landslides are often near quarrying and mining sites, with permits recklessly granted by the government,” said KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos.

A total of 382, 302 individuals or almost 78,000 families were affected by #KristinePH in Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.

KMP is calling for immediate compensation, relief services, and long-term rehabilitation for affected communities. “These disasters are not just acts of nature but the result of decades of neglect and bureaucratic corruption,” said Ramos. “Farmers urgently need aid and compensation for damaged crops and lost livestock.”

Call for solidarity and support

KMP and its networks launched Sagip Kanayunan, mobilizing volunteers and collecting donations for typhoon victims. “We need all hands on deck. The storm may pass, but its effects will linger unless we provide the necessary support and fight for systemic changes that will protect our farmers and fisherfolk,” said Ramos.

Sagip Kanayunan is calling for urgent donations to support the relief efforts for farmers, including rice, food packs, hygiene kits, drinking water, clothes, sleeping kits, and medicines. Farmers and fisherfolk will also need seeds, seedlings, farm tools, fishing equipment, and production subsidies to recover from this disaster. ####