Koronadal now under state of calamity

KORONADAL CITY -- In a special session Friday, the Koronadal City Sangguniang Panglungsod passed a resolution putting the entire city under state of calamity due to dry spellas damages to crops rose to P40 million as of March 11.Vice Mayor Eliordo Ogena, also legislative body presiding officer, said the extent of damages to crops in the city's villages.He said the damages were enormous that it warrant putting the city under state ofcalamity to allow the local government to use its calamity fund amounting to P10 million.With the declaration, Ogena said the city government will prioritize distribution of food packs to severely affected villages, water ration to communities suffering from water shortage and agricultural assistance to farmers.Eric Medel ofCity Agriculture Office said planting materials will be provided to farmers.Records from the city disaster office, the dry spell destroyed beyond recovery some 40,000 hectares of rice and corn fields and other high value crops.The city agriculture office will also put up shallow tube wells.More than 4,000 families were affected by the drought.Fifteen of Koronadal City's 27 villages have earlier declared, through the village councils, state of calamity.