Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda is urging support for the agriculture sector in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Egay, which caused approximately P1 billion worth of damages in agricultural products. The typhoon resulted in a volume of production loss of 62,259 metric tons, affecting 98,969 hectares of agricultural land and 91,268 farmers.
The affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries. The damage has been reported in several regions, including the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Western Visayas. In Legarda’s home province of Antique, P5.5 million worth of losses in rice crops have been recorded.
Legarda emphasizes the need to improve support for farmers in dealing with typhoons and other disasters. She calls for crop-specific, site-level, and continuous assistance, as well as the implementation of systemic and ecosystem-based resilience measures. Legarda stresses the importance of considering ecosystem damage, which often goes unaccounted for in disaster assessments, as it hampers the sector’s ability to recover from such events.
While emergency relief assistance is always available to farmers, Legarda underscores the necessity for resilient varieties, expert advice on timing, and ecosystem-based protections like windbreaks and watersheds. She advocates for the use of technological advancements and science-based analysis to develop a modern, resilient, and sustainable agriculture industry that can provide appropriate support pre and post-disaster.
Legarda is committed to breaking the cycle of disaster and poverty in agriculture. She emphasizes the need for responsive legislative support to reduce the sector’s vulnerability. All policies and programs should prioritize climate resilience and restorative practices, promoting rationalized value chains and waste reduction. Legarda believes that by prioritizing the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk, the agriculture sector can contribute to a better life for all.
Throughout her senatorial tenure, Legarda has championed initiatives to strengthen the country’s agriculture sector. She has co-authored laws such as the Rural Farms Schools Act, which seeks to establish rural farm schools as an alternative secondary education platform. Legarda has also been instrumental in the enactment of the Organic Agriculture Act and its amended version, recognizing the Participatory Guarantee Systems as a method of certifying organic produce. Additionally, she has promoted financial assistance for farmers through the Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act and institutionalized urban agriculture through the Integrated Urban Agriculture Act.
While Typhoon Egay has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), another tropical storm named Falcon has entered PAR. Falcon is the country’s sixth tropical cyclone this year and the third in July. Legarda’s office continues to closely monitor the situation in the areas affected by Typhoon Egay to ensure proper assistance is provided.
In summary, Senator Loren Legarda is calling for support for the agriculture sector in light of the significant damages caused by Super Typhoon Egay. She emphasizes the need for targeted assistance, resilient agricultural practices, and sustainable policies to strengthen the sector’s ability to withstand and recover from disasters. Legarda’s legislative efforts reflect her commitment to promoting a modern, resilient, and sustainable agriculture industry that prioritizes the well-being of farmers and fisherfolk.
