DTI: Prices of agri goods from flood-hit areas still stable

The prices of agricultural items from areas hit by floods and landslides earlier this month remain stable, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Monday. DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya disclosed this as state weather forecasters said there are lesser chances of floods and landslides this week. “So far wala tayong nakikitang matinding effect sa baha. Ang ating sources di matindi ang pinsala lalo ang those affecting Metro Manila. Those nagbebenta sa Metro Manila ay hindi naman apektado," Maglaya said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (So far we have not seen any major effect from the floods on the sources of agricultural items. There is no reason for prices of agricultural goods in Metro Manila to go up because of the floods.) However, she said the DTI will look into alleged price hikes in “specific local areas." She did not elaborate. “So far wala tayong reported na malaking epekto sa presyo (So far we have received no reports of major effects of the floods on prices)," she added. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s report as of 6:00 a.m. Monday indicated that Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Regions 10, 11 and Caraga in Mindanao had suffered P158,902,188.19 due to the floods. The Caraga region in Mindanao, particularly Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Island, suffered the greatest damage at P104.522 million. Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Leyte suffered a P31.354 million loss while Albay and Sorsogon suffered P17.408 million in damage. Lesser chances of landslides Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the diffused tail end of a cold front will continue to affect Southern Luzon and Visayas. On the other hand, the northeast monsoon continues to prevail over Northern and Central Luzon. “Ang landslides medyo nababawasan ang peligro (The danger of landslides has lessened somewhat)," PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said in an interview over dzBB radio. PAGASA’s 5:00 a.m. bulletin also indicated that Eastern Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with rains. Southern Luzon and Visayas will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains. Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon, Visayas and Eastern Mindanao. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the Northeast with slight to moderate seas. PAGASA also said strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas. – VVP, GMANews.TV