A total of 2,116,420 individuals have received various government assistance to help tide them over the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

In an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on Wednesday, El Niño Task Force spokesperson, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Assistant Secretary Joey Villarama, said the figure consisted of farmers and fisherfolk, as well as their dependents, who have received financial assistance, rice subsidy, fuel assistance, and food packs from the government.

“Ito po ‘yung direktang tinutulungan ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), ng DA (Department of Agriculture) pati ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan dahil sila nga po ‘yung apektado ng El Niño (These are the ones directly assisted by the DSWD, the DA, and other government agencies because they are the ones affected by El Niño),” Villarama said.

Damage lower due to gov’t preps

Earlier, the DA reported that the damage and losses to the country’s agriculture sector due to El Niño has reached more than PHP3.9 billion, covering 11 regions, with Mimaropa and Western Visayas being the hardest hit.

A total of 66,065 hectares of farmlands have been affected by the phenomenon, the DA said.

Villarama, however, said the latest reported damage of El Niño is still lower compared to previous years, citing the government’s preparation and mitigation measures.

“Gusto po nating sabihin na kahit papano nakatulong ‘yung mga preventive measures, interventions at saka ‘yung mitigation measures kaya po kahit papano ay maliit pa po ‘yun compared to what we have experienced in terms of damage historically (We just want to say that somehow our preventive measures, interventions, and also our mitigation measures helped, so somehow the damage is still lower compared to what we have experienced in terms of damage historically),” he said.

He added that based on the latest government data, 103 local government units are under a state of calamity, including the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, and Maguindanao del Sur.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday to lead the distribution of government assistance to about 2,000 farmers and fisherfolk affected by El Niño. (PNA)