The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women called on the national government to immediately aid the rural families affected of the flooding due to typhoon Maring in Cagayan Valley and other areas in Northern Luzon. Reports said that many families were evacuated, animals and crops such as palay to be harvested in the next days were submerged. The group said that the farmers faced again another fate of bankruptcy and loss of livelihood due to the flooding.
“We echo the voice of the rural women to help them immediately recover from the impact of flooding due to the typhoon. They are yet to recover from the bankruptcy brought about by repeated economic lockdowns, now they are distraught by a natural calamity amid continued government neglect. We demand the immediate aid to peasant families in affected areas in Cagayan Valley,” exclaimed by Zen Soriano, Amihan National Chair.
Initial reports from Bombo Radyo Tuguegarao said that palay and vegetables in Sta. Teresita and Sto.Nino towns in Cagayan province were submerged due to flooding. Moreover, the estimated damages on livestock is at P350,000.
“Prior this, we have been demanding to raise the farm gate prices of palay as it fell down in the region to around P12 to P13 per kilo. Now that they have lost their crops, some have nothing to eat, on top of that they are engrossed in debt for spending on their crops. The demands to repeal the Rice Liberalization Law and P15,000 production subsidy for farmers are most urgent at present,” Soriano added.
Amihan also urged the civil society community to raise support for the affected farmers.
“We urge the public to continue our bayanihan in helping the affected peasant families in Cagayan Valley. Moreover, join us in our advocacy to repeal the Rice Liberalization Law, and for the provision of production subsidy,” she ended. ###
