PCDR, first to respond to communities affected by El Niño in Iloilo

ILOIO PROVINCE – Recently, Panay Center for Disaster Response, Inc. (PCDR) conducted a series of Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) to fishing and farming communities heavily affected by El Niño, particularly in municipalities of Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, Cabatuan and Dumangas, Iloilo Province. Along with this, PCDR also distributed 5 kilograms of rice as initial assistance to a total of 150 farming and fishing households. This activity was supported by CARE Philippines and Citizens’ Disaster Response Center through the Humanitarian Partnership Platform.

Based on initial reports, Western Visayas, particularly the province of Iloilo has recorded the highest agricultural damage amounting to more than half a billion pesos. The conducted RDANA substantiates this data and reveals the grievous situation the region’s food providers are experiencing at the moment.

For the farmers PCDR interviewed, they experienced losses since their first cropping cycle. From an estimate of 80+ sacks of palay per hectare, this became 40-50 sacks during their second cropping. On the third cropping, farmers either planted alternative crops (such as squash and mung beans) or planted nothing at all. Even the alternatives, said one farmer, are impacted by the extreme heat.

The experiences of the fishing communities worsened by the start of this year when the rising temperature was only felt terribly. From a minimum catch of 10 kilograms per fishing trip, this reduced to 3 kilograms of fish or a minimum of 6 fish per fishing trip. Unlike the farming communities that opted to plant alternative crops to at least sustain their livelihood, the fisherfolks iterated that they have nothing but the seas. Both sectors fund these economic activities with little-to-no return on investment that sustains their household’s day-to-day living. Not to mention the region’s consumer goods price is already high.

The impact of El Niño (which started in June of last year and was only excessively felt during the first quarter of this year) manifests itself differently for the farmers and fisherfolks. Still, the bottom line is both sectors are experiencing its disastrous consequences.

In some areas, community members said that their situation was not even assessed yet by their respective Local Government Units and PCDR was first to assess their situation. Moreover, almost all of the communities that PCDR visited have not yet received any assistance from the government.

Currently, the community members are hoping that a thorough on-ground assessment by their municipal leaders on the effect of El Niño will be done and secondly financial and food assistance be distributed to their communities.