By Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz The amount of damage and losses to agriculture due to typhoon "Ambo" has further increased to ₱1.37 billion, based on the latest estimates of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday afternoon (May 26). (JJ Landingin / MANILA BULLETIN) At the virtual presser of the IATF-Task Group on Food Security, DA Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Noel Reyes said high value crops remain the most affected commodity (₱915.15 million) among other items, as follows:

• Banana (₱541.97 million),
• Papaya (₱24.26 million),
• Other assorted fruits and vegetables (₱348.92 million),
• Rice (₱318.13 million),
• Corn (₱62.45 million),
• Fisheries (₱42.4 million),
• Livestock (₱17.94 million),
• Infrastructure (₱10.8 million).

The DA is ready to download ₱750 million under its quick response fund for the rehabilitation of typhoon-stricken areas and assistance of thousands of farmers and fisherfolk adversely affected by Ambo. In addition, the DA, through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), has granted an indemnity of ₱95 million to 15,756 farmers and fishermen who availed of insurance coverage. Reyes said the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, under its Survival and Recovery or SURE Loan Assistance Program, has allotted ₱20 million for emergency loans at zero interest and payable in three years to affected farmers and fisherfolk at ₱25,000 each. DA has also directed the distribution of rice, corn, and vegetable seeds in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Cordillera Administrative Region. These included 109,586 bags of rice seeds, 10,116 bags of corn seeds, and 1,195 kilograms of vegetable seeds. Animal drugs and other biologics for livestock and poultry were also distributed.