DA: Cordillera, Ilocos agri- infra damage P44.2 million

By Daphne Galvez, Daxim L. Lucas 

BAGUIO CITY -- Damage on agricultural infrastructures in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions due to the strong earthquake that hit Northern Luzon last week has reached about P44.2 million, the Dept. of Agriculture said Tuesday.
    These included damage in communal irrigation systems and diversion dams, DA Usec. Kristine Evangelista said.
    “Umabot na nang P44.2 million ang agricultural damage, kasama ang damage sa farm-to-market roads, mayroon ding communal irrigation system na naapektuhan. Mayroon tayong report na natanggap na ‘yung isang diversion dam is also affected,” she said in a public briefing.
    (The damage reached P44.2 million, including those on farm-to-market roads, communal irrigation system, and a diversion road.)
    The DA is still validating the worth of damage sustained on agricultural crops.
    Evangelista said prices of agricultural products in Benguet, one of the areas hit by the earthquake, have returned to pre-disaster prices.
    She said even the inflow and outflow of agricultural commodities have returned to normal.
    “Sa ating trading posts pagdating sa Benguet, normal na ang presyo, bumalik na sa pre-lindol ang ating mga presyo pati ‘yung volume of commodities that is being traded in Benguet,” she said.