'Falcon' causes P33-M damage to agri crops in Dinalupihan, Bataan

DINALUPIHAN - Floods brought about by heavy rains from tropical storm "Falcon" caused destroyed more than P33 million worth of agriculture in Dinalupihan, Bataan, the municipal agriculturist reported on Tuesday. Dinalupihan was placed under the state of calamity over the weekend after heavy floods inundated 36 barangays, affecting 12,200 families. The massive rains caused breaches in two dikes, the Pagalanggang and Daan-Bago dikes. Agriculturist Fidel Felipe said crops in 23 agricultural villages were damaged, affecting 842 farmers tilling 482 hectares of lands. Felipe said standby crops in 447 hectares almost wilted due after being soaked in flood waters for several days. Menawhile, newly-transplanted palay in 35 hectares of ricelands had to be transplanted again, Felipe said. About 1,033 cavans of palay seedlings sown in seedbeds were also destroyed, he added. Felipe placed the total damage at P33.7 million with loss in production farm gate of 2,410 metric tons of rice. Sangguniang Bayan resolution Mayor Joel Payumo said the Dinalupihan Sangguniang Bayan (SB) passed a resolution asking Secretary Proceso Alcala of the Department of Agriculture to help in the rehabilitaton of agricultural lands damaged by the floods. The SB also asked authorities to provide subsidy to farmers in the form of certified palay seeds. - VVP, GMA News