As the province of Ilocos Norte still reels from the devastation wrought by recent typhoon “Ineng,” worst damages in infrastructure and agriculture now zoomed from P2 billion-plus to P3.2 billion, officials reported.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Resiliency Council (PDRRMRC) released yesterday the latest figures reflecting the damages in infrastructure at P3.121 billion, particularly the destroyed river and flood control structures; irrigation systems; roads and bridges; public buildings, school buildings, and other agricultural infrastructure.
In the agri-sector, P92.5 million damages were estimated in ruined rice, high-value commercial crops, corn, fisheries, and various livestock.
Owing to this predicament, Governor Imee Marcos has been thinking of other alternatives to offer relief to the affected farmers.
Initially, the governor had advised the farmers with farmland near waterways to plant short-term cash crops to evade the adverse effect of the fast-changing climate.
Provincial Agriculturist Norma Lagmay also recommended the planting of Chinese kangkong, mongo and green corn in the farmlands destroyed by Ineng.
“Try to grow kangkong that could be harvested in 15-days after its planting and other short term growing crops like mongo and the drought resistant green corn,” she said. (Freddie G. Lazaro)
