File photo / Inquirer Visayas
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Bohol Provincial Government has placed the entire province under a state of calamity due to the devastation caused by the El Niño
In a report, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) said that damages caused by the dry spell has already reached P420.8 million for the months of April and May.
The El Niño has badly affected 36 localities in their province, it said.
READ: El Niño to persist until May, Cebu must brace for dry spell
| Photo from the Fb page of Erico Aris Aumentado
Agriculture
In its report, OPA said that the dry spell badly affected the province’s agriculture with damages reaching P419.6 million.
Agriculture is the main source of livelihood in Bohol, considered as the “rice bowl” of Central Visayas.
Last May 21, the Bohol Provincial Board passed a resolution placing their province under a state of calamity.
READ: Capitol pledges P3M subsidy to Cebu LGUs amid rising farm losses
Quick response funds
“Pinaagi sa maong deklarasyon, ang matag Local Government Unit adunay gahom pagpanalipod ug pagdumala sa ilang tagsa-tagsa nga munisipalidad subay sa maong resolution batok sa nagpadayon nga El Niño,” Governor Erico Aris Aumentado said in an advisory.
On Friday, May 24, Aumentado also called for a meeting with the mayors to explain the importance of the declaration of state of calamity.
With the declaration, the 36 affected localities can make use of their 30 percent quick response funds to aid those who are affected by the dry spell, he said.
Also during the meeting, Aumentado and Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte asked the mayors for suggestions on how else they can save the province’s agriculture sector and aid the affected farmers.