Kabankalan City declared a state of calamity on Thursday, April 18, amid widespread drought damage to crops.
The Kabankalan Sangguniang Panlungsod unanimously approved the declaration during their regular session Thursday afternoon, Vice Mayor Miguel Zayco said.
A manifestation was made to include sugarcane under the declaration, he said.
Mayor Benjie Miranda said the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office recommended the declaration of a state of calamity with 41.4 percent of the farmers and all of the barangays of the city affected by the drought.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) reported on Thursday that damage to rice crops in 13 barangays of Kabankalan City has hit P41.9 million.
They have distributed 3,000 Department of Social Welfare and Development food packs to the affected farmers, Miranda said.
Miranda said with the declaration of a state of calamity the city government will be able to use some of its disaster funds to further help affected farmers.
The city government has also been distributing potable water to Kabankalan residents, Miranda said.
Earlier San Enrique town also declared a state of calamity.
Meanwhile, Mayor Raymund Tongson said Himamaylan City has not declared a state of calamity yet as it is using its P23 million savings from last year to assist drought affected residents.
However, the Office of Civil Defenses has recommended the declaration of a state of calamity so the city can access assistance from the national government, Tongson said.
Tongson said he is observing the moves of the other local governments and looking at the situation in the barangays.
The OPA has placed the damage to rice crops in Himamaylan City at P13.4 million.*