Mayon agricultural harm nears P166-M

FILE: Lava fountaining from Mayon Volcano crater at 10:45 PST 21 January 2018. (Photo: Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS-DOST)/Facebook)

MANILA — Agricultural damage and loss from the continuing unrest of Mayon Volcano have reached PHP165.54 million.

Some 36,023 metric tons of crops were lost due mainly to ashfall, said Christopher Morales, chief of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Field Programs Operational Planning Division.

In a memorandum for Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol dated Jan. 30, Morales said the affected commodities were rice, corn, high-value crops, and fiber crops.
He said Mayon’s continuous spewing of lava and ash had already affected 8,237 hectares of agricultural land in Albay province, where this volcano is.

Damage and loss due to Mayon affected 8,294 farmers, Morales said.
In its bulletin released Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported the occurrence of 119 volcanic earthquakes, two pyroclastic density current episodes, and 68 rockfall events in Mayon Volcano.

Phivolcs also reported nine tremor events, including lava fountaining.
Morales said authorities concerned had proposed a rehabilitation plan for Albay’s Mayon-affected agriculture, including funding for Albay’s animal evacuation center cum auction market “with a total estimated cost of PHP19 million”.

Concerned agencies had so far conducted maintenance and monitoring of 681 livestock in eight pooling sites and provided continuous animal health care management, Morales said.