El Niño hit at least 38 hectares of agricultural land in Anao, Tarlac.
Mayor Gian Pierre De Dios lamented on Wednesday, April 04, that the peak of El Niño coincided with the planting season of Anao, an agricultural town.
De Dios further pointed out that Anao lacks an irrigation system and that farmers depend on deep wells for their needs during this dry season.
"Hindi nila akalain na nakapag-tanim na sila pero, at the end, tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang hirap na ginagawa nila para sa kanilang mga sakahan," De Dios said during DILG sa DZRH Breaktime.
"Kailan lang naman talaga yung init kaya nagkaroon ng preparations para magtanim na sila. Hindi nila inakala na magbibitak bitak yung kanilang mga lupa, at talagang tuyong-tuyo," he added.
In order to help affected local government farmers recover from the damage brought by El Niño, the local government of Anao provides free corn seeds and vegetable seeds.
The local government unit also provides seminars to further capacitate the farmers in the municipality.
"Kapag nalugi sila sa tinanim nilang palay, nagkakaroon sila ng pagkakataon na makabawi din dito sa program namin sa lokal," the mayor stressed.
De Dios said that the national government also has programs that help alleviate local farmers from the effects of El Niño.
"Maraming programs ang binibigay sa amin. Nandiyan na rin ngayon yung libreng insurance, libreng Philippine Crop Insurance," the local chief executive shared.
