The combined cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure attributed to Typhoon Odette last December has reached more than P25 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Thursday.
In its latest report, the agency said damage to agriculture has amounted to over P7.7 billion in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and Caraga.
Damage to infrastructure has reached P17.5 billion in Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
A total of 606,861 houses were damaged in Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Caraga and the BARMM. Of these, 422,797 were classified as partially damaged and 184,064 as totally damaged.
Confirmed deaths due to the typhoon remain at 76, along with 74 injured, and nine missing. Meanwhile, still undergoing validation are reports of 331 dead, 1,073 injured, and 69 missing.
An update from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed massive destruction to crops, fisheries and agricultural infrastructures in the regions of Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga.
From the latest tally, there were 389,316 farmers and fishers who were affected while lost agricultural produce was estimated at 252,956 metric tons. The typhoon also destroyed 420,465 hectares of agricultural lands.
Lost crops include rice, corn, high value crops, coconut and sugarcane. Damages to fisheries and livestock were estimated to have reached billions of pesos as well as demolished agricultural infrastructures, machineries and equipment.
The DA said values of damages are still subject to verification based in daily updates from regional field units. The DA has released P2.9 billion assistance to affected farmers and fisherfolk to help in the recovery efforts of the sector.
Damage incurred by electric cooperatives (ECs) from the soared to P3.3 billion, the National Electrification Administration said. NEA said Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO) suffered the biggest damage at over P723 milyon, based on data from the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department.
Bohol II Electric Cooperative (BOHECO II) and Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative (SURNECO) followed at P546 million and P438 million, respectively. NEA said power to 1.2 million households still need to be restored to date.
Typhoon Odette wrought havoc on 74 ECs nationwide. The typhoon affected the entire supply chain of the power sector starting from the generation, distribution to the transmission sectors.
NEA also said the agency extended a total of P676.79 million worth of loans, including calamity loans to 28 electric cooperatives last year.
Based on the latest data from the NEA Accounts Management and Guarantee Department (AMGD), P533.06 million of the said amount went to 22 ECs for their capital expenditure projects and working capital loans.
Meanwhile, the P93.73 million went to eight ECs as calamity loans and the remaining P50 million went to one EC as short term credit facility.