NUEVA ECIJA – Now, the farmers who believed that the water releases from Pantabangan Dam caused damage to their crop, are asking for compensation. Or, whatever assistance to help them ease sufferings from their economic losses.
The affected farmers are from Bongabon, Rizal and Pantabangan towns whose rice lands are near the river whose water level rose and inundated their standing rice crop.
They believed their crop was damaged as a result of water releases from Pantabangan Dam. They are requesting authorities of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS) to look into their plight..
The farmers said the inundation of their farms was aggravated when Pantabangan Dam started releasing water starting September 29. The water release, they said, increased in volume last Sunday it was feared that it was just a matter of hours before the dam reached its spilling level.
At least 300 hectares of standing crops in these three towns suffered damages, some of which had no more chance of recovery.
Roy Santiago of Bongabon town said he only harvested 50 cavans the other day from his two-hectare farm. He was expecting at least 160 cavans harvest this cropping season.
“Inani ko po kahit may tubig pa sa aking bukid (I harvested my crop even if there’s still water in my farm),” Santiago said. “Hindi ko na po maipagbibile, maitim na po ang mga butil (I will not be able to sell them because the grains are already black in color),” he added.
Aida Laluan, report officer of the municipal agricultural office in Bongabon, said about 200 hectares were affected by the rise in water in barangays Vega, San Roque, and Rizal, and Pook Uno of the Poblacion. About 25 hectares of the crop had no more chance for recovery while the rest could suffer reduction in harvest to 30% or more, she said.
In Pantabangan, a total of 117 hectares of rice crop was totally damaged while 28 hectares had 20% chance of recovery.
The farmers said Pantabangan Dam could have started releasing water in small volume long before the onslaught of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
The dam started releasing water when its level reached 219.5 meters or 1.5 meters from its spilling level. During Typhoon Pepeng, the level reached 220.28 or just .72 meters from spilling level.
The water release was increased from 120 cubic meters per second (CMPS) to more than 250 CMPS.
The dam’s current level is 219.65 meters and water release is at 250 CMPS. UPRIIS authorities said the water release will continue until the 218-meter level is reached.
Carlito Gapasin, chief of UPRIIS’ engineering and operations division, said he will bring to the attention of his agency’s management team the appeal of the affected farmers for help.
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asked Gov. Aurelio Umali, when she visited this province Sunday, to submit proposals on how the national government can provide assistance to the affected farmers of Nueva Ecija.
Latest report from the provincial agricultural office said the farmers suffered production losses valued at P145.956 million.
Only one casualty, a five-year old girl from Barangay D. S. Garcia in Cabanatuan City who died from drowning, was reported.
The affected farmers are from Bongabon, Rizal and Pantabangan towns whose rice lands are near the river whose water level rose and inundated their standing rice crop.
They believed their crop was damaged as a result of water releases from Pantabangan Dam. They are requesting authorities of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS) to look into their plight..
The farmers said the inundation of their farms was aggravated when Pantabangan Dam started releasing water starting September 29. The water release, they said, increased in volume last Sunday it was feared that it was just a matter of hours before the dam reached its spilling level.
At least 300 hectares of standing crops in these three towns suffered damages, some of which had no more chance of recovery.
Roy Santiago of Bongabon town said he only harvested 50 cavans the other day from his two-hectare farm. He was expecting at least 160 cavans harvest this cropping season.
“Inani ko po kahit may tubig pa sa aking bukid (I harvested my crop even if there’s still water in my farm),” Santiago said. “Hindi ko na po maipagbibile, maitim na po ang mga butil (I will not be able to sell them because the grains are already black in color),” he added.
Aida Laluan, report officer of the municipal agricultural office in Bongabon, said about 200 hectares were affected by the rise in water in barangays Vega, San Roque, and Rizal, and Pook Uno of the Poblacion. About 25 hectares of the crop had no more chance for recovery while the rest could suffer reduction in harvest to 30% or more, she said.
In Pantabangan, a total of 117 hectares of rice crop was totally damaged while 28 hectares had 20% chance of recovery.
The farmers said Pantabangan Dam could have started releasing water in small volume long before the onslaught of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.
The dam started releasing water when its level reached 219.5 meters or 1.5 meters from its spilling level. During Typhoon Pepeng, the level reached 220.28 or just .72 meters from spilling level.
The water release was increased from 120 cubic meters per second (CMPS) to more than 250 CMPS.
The dam’s current level is 219.65 meters and water release is at 250 CMPS. UPRIIS authorities said the water release will continue until the 218-meter level is reached.
Carlito Gapasin, chief of UPRIIS’ engineering and operations division, said he will bring to the attention of his agency’s management team the appeal of the affected farmers for help.
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo asked Gov. Aurelio Umali, when she visited this province Sunday, to submit proposals on how the national government can provide assistance to the affected farmers of Nueva Ecija.
Latest report from the provincial agricultural office said the farmers suffered production losses valued at P145.956 million.
Only one casualty, a five-year old girl from Barangay D. S. Garcia in Cabanatuan City who died from drowning, was reported.
