131 cities, towns now under state of calamity

A total of 131 cities and towns have been placed under state of calamity because of the effects of El Niño, which is expected to persist until the end of May, the government said yesterday.

- ALEXIS ROMERO

Task Force El Niño spokesman and Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama said the areas include seven provinces whose entire jurisdiction are under the calamity status, namely Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and South Cotabato.

"As of the latest update from the Office of Civil Defense, 131 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity. These areas are spread throughout the Philippines," Villarama said in a chance interview.

A state of calamity declaration permits local governments to access and spend their calamity funds to assist their constituents.

Villarama said the impact of El Niño on the 131 cities and towns varies, although 41 areas are experiencing drought, defined as three consecutive months of way below normal or greater than 60-percent reduction from average rainfall condition.

An area is also hit by drought if it experiences five consecutive months of belownormal or 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.

Some areas are hit by a dry spell or three consecutive months of below normal or 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way-below-normal or more than 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.

Others experience a dry condition or two consecutive months of below-normal or 21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.

Villarama said the amount of damage to agriculture has reached P4.39 billion, equivalent to 77,731 hectares.

He added that 77 percent of El Niño-hit farmlands could still be recovered.