22 villages in Cotabato City now under state of calamity

COTABATO CITY - The city government has placed 22 of 37 villages in Cotabato City under state of calamity as drought heightened in the region.From 19 villages, the Sangguniang Panglungsod revised an earlier resolution to include three more villages under calamity area due to dry spell.Lawyer Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, Cotabato City adminsitrator, said the affected villages continue to rise and a resolution is needed so the executive department and the office of the city mayor could extend assistance. We don't need additional funding, we have enough buffer fund to help the farmers, Sayadi told DXMS Radyo Bida. All we need is the basis of extending aid to affected agriculture sector and that is a resolution putting these areas under state of calamity. About 420 farmers have been affected in 22 villages with an estimated damages to crops of up to P17 million.Mohammad Abdulgani, city agriculture officer, said also affected were fisher folks and owners of fish ponds located in the coastal barangays of the city.