ILOILO CITY – The province of Iloilo has sustained at least P100 million in damage to agriculture from the El Niño phenomenon.

A FARM in Leon town, Iloilo province. (Leon Municipal Agriculture Office)
The Iloilo Provincial Agriculture Office said around 7,000 hectares in eight towns were affected – Tigbauan, Oton, Tubungan, Miag-ao, Anilao, San Enrique, Cabatuan, and Barotac Nuevo.
It said that 2,586 hectares were partially and 188 hectares were totally damaged.
Three-thousand, eighty-eight farmers have been affected as of February 1.
Anilao had the most number of affected farmers with 1,176.
Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, provincial chief agriculturist, warned that damage could rise as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration warned that El Niño’s impact could last until April.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. assured that the provincial government has a budget of P15 million for the insurance of affected farmers.