The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that close to 72,000 families or 360,000 persons from North Cotabato have been affected by the drought in the country caused by the weak El Nino phenomenon.
NDRRMC Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ricardo B. Jalad said 71,909 families or 359,545 persons in 110 barangays in North Cotabato have been affected by the drought.
Regions 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6, 9, 12, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and National Capital Region have also been affected by the dry spell caused by the El Nino.
Jalad said P2,675,003,599.28 in damage to crops were reported in Regions 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6, 12, and BARMM. However, he said the figure is still subject to validation and verification by the Department of Agriculture.
Region 12, according to Jalad, is the most affected region by the El Niño with P808, 666,138.43 worth of damage to agriculture, followed by the Bicol region with P793, 973,458.81, and the BARMM which incurred P403, 373,404.
The DA said 79,044 farmers have been affected by the drought in Region 4-B, 5, 6, 8, 12, and BARMM. (Francis Wakefield)