Isabela rice crop badly damaged
MANILA, Oct. 11, 2009— Vast rice fields in the Diocese of Ilagan have turned into large pools of stagnant brown water killing rice harvests.
The typhoon may have recorded zero casualties but Msgr. Marino Gatan said it caused considerable damage to the farming sector.
“The rice farms in northern Isabela including San Pablo, Santa Maria, Tumauini, Cabagan, Magsaysay, and part of Ilagan were affected by floods,” said Gatan, Diocesan administrator.
The parish priests have been tasked to take care of their parishioners which according to Gatan only proves the situation is “not that bad” because local church and communities can attend to their own concerns.
“The government should assist the farmers recover from the losses they incurred due to the recent floods,” he added.