KMP urges fast aid as super typhoon Nando hits Northern Luzon

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas urged the adoption of a long-term rehabilitation plan and climate-resilient farming measures, stressing that small farmers remain the most affected yet the least supported each year.

MANILA – Super Typhoon Nando (international name Ragasa) devastated Northern Luzon, leaving widespread destruction in agriculture and displacing thousands of families. Farmers’ group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) warned of catastrophic losses for palay growers and pressed the government for urgent aid and compensation.

As of September 23, Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 19 reported that Nando had exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) while moving away from Luzon. Meanwhile, Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name Bualoi) intensified into a typhoon.

KMP said torrential rains, strong winds, flooding, and landslides submerged rice fields, flattened ripening crops, and washed away seedlings, leaving thousands of farmers without livelihood in Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos, Apayao, Benguet, and nearby provinces.

In Cagayan, local KMP members said, “In recent days, farmers have been rushing to harvest, gather, and sack palay because of the typhoon. Many, however, were left unharvested and were submerged or flattened by the strong winds and heavy rains.”

The storm displaced thousands in the province and caused heavy agricultural losses. Over 17,000 families were affected, with at least P5 million ($85,000) in crop damage reported in Gonzaga, where nearly half of rice paddies were flooded and palay prices dropped from P11 ($0.19) to P7 ($0.12) per kilo. Relief aid worth P4.16 million ($70,700) has been distributed while full damage assessments remain ongoing.

KMP lambasted the Department of Agriculture (DA) for what it described as an insufficient and ineffective disaster response.

“Even when the DA provides aid to farmers, it is always lacking and insufficient. Most of the time, there is none at all—even those listed under the RSBSA receive nothing. Instead of direct support and compensation, the DA only offers loans to farmers,” said KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos.

“While farmers sink deeper into debt and suffer repeated losses from successive storms, billions are being pocketed by corrupt officials and government agencies. It is utterly infuriating,” Ramos said.

He stressed that the latest Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing revealed that about P2.85 billion ($48.5 million) in unprogrammed funds were allegedly inserted into the national budget by the Department of Public Works and Highways to accommodate requests from corrupt lawmakers and officials, with kickbacks ranging from 20 to 25 percent.

Earlier this year, Tropical Storm Crising and the enhanced southwest monsoon (Habagat) also battered agriculture, with the DA initially estimating losses at P323 million ($5.5 million) before revising the figure to P454 million ($7.7 million). The damage covered more than 20,000 hectares and affected nearly 21,000 farmers. Separate government reports placed the value of aid and interventions at nearly P1.2 billion ($20.4 million), including seeds, farm inputs, and loans under the SURE Aid program. However, many smallholder rice farmers reported limited access to these programs as loans were prioritized over direct subsidies.

The Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program launched in 2017 provides loan and grant aid to small farmers and fisherfolk in calamity-hit areas. Borrowers can access up to P25,000 ($425) with 0% interest, no collateral, and repayment terms of up to three years. Beneficiaries must be enrolled in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) and financing is facilitated through partner-lending conduits like cooperatives and rural banks.

Farmers in Cagayan and Ilocos, however, said that they received little to no subsidies, with many still uncompensated for their damaged harvests.

“What farmers need is not additional debt but genuine aid, financial support, and concrete assistance for rehabilitation and recovery,” Ramos said.

KMP urged the adoption of a long-term rehabilitation plan and climate-resilient farming measures, stressing that small farmers remain the most affected yet the least supported each year.

“If the DA continues to offer only loans, farmers will sink deeper into poverty and debt. What must be demanded are genuine subsidies, compensation, and support for the agriculture sector,” Ramos said. (RTS, DAA)

The post KMP urges fast aid as super typhoon Nando hits Northern Luzon appeared first on Bulatlat.