PHILSTAR FILE PHOTODOUBLING the Agriculture department’s financial assistance program for disaster-stricken farmers should be considered as the current amount remains lacking in helping them recover, a congressman said on Monday.
“Every year, our farmers and fishermen face the hardships brought by typhoons, floods, and droughts,” Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said in a statement in Filipino. “After the disaster, they are often burdened with debt. The current amount is simply not enough to help them recover.”
The Department of Agriculture (DA) in 2017 implemented the Survival and Recovery (SURE) program, a P25,000 zero-interest loan scheme for farmers and fisherfolk affected by natural disasters.
“The prices of seeds, fertilizers, farming and fishing equipment have significantly increased… Doubling the loanable amount to P50,000 under the SURE program will give them a chance to rebuild their livelihoods,” said Mr. Lee in mixed English and Filipino.
The Philippines is the world’s most disaster-prone country, according to the 2024 World Risk Index, as it is highly susceptible to storms as it lies directly on the path of storms coming from the northwestern Pacific Ocean’s typhoon belt. It is also located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, putting it at increased risk of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
The Southeast Asian nation was battered by a series of strong typhoons in the latter part of 2024, with seven typhoons barreling from October to November. It affected more than 13 million people nationwide, with economic losses amounting to P28.9 billion, according to an Imperial College study.
AGRI Party-list, who is represented by Mr. Lee, also urged Congress to immediately pass House Bill No. 1298, which seeks to reorganize the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., making it more responsive to livelihood losses. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
