Quirino now under calamity state, too

Quirino now under calamity state, too

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

CABARROGUIS, Quirino – The provincial government here is all set to declare the province under a state of calamity like practically all provinces in Cagayan Valley, if not in Northern Luzon.

 

This came after the provinces of La Union and Isabela had previously declared states of calamity based on the level of damage wrought by the dry spell in their areas.

 

Quirino Gov. Dakila Cua said the province's sangguniang panlalawigan or provincial board is set to pass a resolution Tuesday declaring the whole province as a calamity area.

 

Cua also said the regional development council of  Cagayan Valley had likewise passed a resolution on his motion to "seek aid from national government and realign their programs to address the imminent calamity" in the region

 

"The provincial agriculture officer has given us a partial estimate of damage to crops at around P58 million. This figure may and will probably increase if the drought (continues)," Cua said.

 

With a state of calamity already proclaimed in Isabela and similar declarations in the works and to be made by other provincial governments, including Qurino, the whole Cagayan Valley region would be under state of calamity.

 

The earliest to declare a state of calamity in the region, after La Union in the Ilocos region, Isabela had experienced loss of more than P300 million in cash crops, bulk of which were damage to corn plants.

 

Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, after being apprised of the extent of the damage brought by the extended drought immediately placed her province, the country's major rice and corn producer under the calamity state.

 

Meanwhile, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa  lloren Cuaresma indicated that like Quirino officials, she is mulling to have the province declared a calamity area by its provincial board.

 

"We still have to study the collated documents regarding the matter," Cuaresma said, dealing with the said incipient drought which according to Congressional reports has already caused P87 million worth of damage in the said province.

 

"We still have to attach all the documents to our letter of request as the board will not just automatically declare a state of calamity without proof," Cuaresma further said.

 

Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio, in the meantime, said his administration would make similar moves to study the situation in the province before making a request to the provincial board for a calamity declaration. CCL