‘Enteng’ destroys ₱350-M agri products in Bicol

Metro Manila, Philippines — The Bicol region lost around ₱350 million in agricultural goods in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Enteng, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

The value translated to a volume of production loss of 14,814 metric tons and 8,893 hectares of agricultural areas, while more than 13,000 farmers were affected, the DA said.

The rice sector took the brunt from the combined effects of “Enteng” and the southwest monsoon, or over ₱333 million in damage. Camarines Sur was hit heavily, data showed, along with Catanduanes and Albay.

Around 3,000 hectares of rice were considered totally damaged.

Farmers also lost ₱14 million of corn, and over ₱3 million of high-value crops such as eggplant, squash, ampalaya, okra, pole sitao, tomato, hot pepper, bottle gourd, pechay, and cucumber.

The Office of Civil Defense reported the initial agricultural damage in a briefing with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday.

“Enteng” left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning. Since Sunday, the tropical cyclone has flooded a number of areas in Luzon and the Visayas.

The storm affected nearly 150,000 families or more than 547,000 people in eight regions.