Deeper poverty, hunger confront peasants in 'Yolanda'-stricken areas

By SAGUPA - SB
January 21, 2014

TACLOBAN CITY – Peasant families in remote barangays in Samar may not have been instantly killed by super typhoon Yolanda, but they will soon be suffering from deeper poverty and hunger after ‘Yolanda’ ravaged their food and cash crops.

“They have been suffering from impoverishment and hunger even before the typhoon, but hunger will be experienced sooner this time,” said Nestor Lebico, secretary general of Samahanhan Gudti nga Parag-uma or SAGUPA-Sinirangan Bisayas, a regional peasant organization.

He explained that families in interior villages usually alternate root crops with rice, eating rice only one to two times a day. But with root crops heavily damaged by the typhoon, they are now consuming rice two to three times daily, thus, rapidly diminishing their rice supply. Worse, they are forced to sell their rice because their sources of cash crops have been damaged. They badly need cash to repair their dwellings and buy fuel for their lamps. “Before the typhoon, hunger sets-in in the months of July and August. But now, it’s going to start in February,” added Lebico.

In selected municipalities in Samar, damage to agriculture accounted for 91% of the total damages while damage to houses and private belongings stood at 6% and public infrastructure at 3 percent. Their principal cash crops are root crops, coconut, bananas and vegetables.

The hardest hit are the families who depend mainly on vegetable farming for cash crops and do not plant rice for consumption. “Affected families need food and monetary relief that will sustain them until the next harvest season,” said Lebico.

Barely a month after the calamity struck the region, more and more farmers have fallen victims to loan sharks. In Samar, for every loan of P1,000, they are made to pay from their harvest one sack of un-husked brown organic rice which is worth P2,200. In Leyte, loan payment for the same amount is equivalent to three sacks of rice. Before the calamity, seasonal farm workers receive only P100 for a day’s work. Out of desperation, they get compensated lower than the usual rate now.

The little harvest that the farmers got after the typhoon has not been of much help financially because the traders took advantage of the calamity to buy the farmers’ products at a cheaper price.

“Farmers usually walk half a day or longer to bring their farm products to the nearest market. Farmers would rather sell their products are a very low price instead of going home empty-handed,” added Lebico.

In the province of Leyte, the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) estimated that losses to the coconut industry reached P10 billion. Leyte accounts for the bulk of damage in coconut which is estimated to be more than 13 million coconut trees totally damaged in typhoon-hit areas. Coconut is the primary source of income of peasants in the province of Leyte. The coconut farmers project that it will take at least three years for the industry to recover.

Meanwhile, according to PCA administrator Atty. Euclides Forbes, the Aquino administration has released P2.8 billion for the rehabilitation of coconut farms in all affected areas. “Where are these funds? How are they going to ensure that the funds will truly benefit the coconut farmers?” asked Lebico.

Food aid should be sustained to areas gravely affected by the typhoon. Monetary relief is urgent in the affected areas. “So far, in interior barrios, affected families have been given food relief packs equivalent to one meal only. In some areas, the relief packs are being repacked, if not being sold,” reported Lebico.

According to Lebico, food security in the region must be seriously addressed. The rehabilitation of the agricultural sector should be fast-tracked, with priority given to intercropping of quick-return food and cash crops. Meanwhile, livestock and poultry can also enhance. The village residents need basic farm tools to start with.

Cash is also urgently needed. There should be monetary subsidies to peasants for their much-needed cash, and not the micro-credit schemes as outlined in the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) or popularly known as “Build Back Better. “How are we going to pay for that?” asserted the peasant leader. “Loans will only bury the farmers deeper into the quagmire of poverty,” added Lebico.

The United Nations has so far raised $328 million to fund its Yolanda strategic response plan (SRP). The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is asking for $38 million for its project, of which $2 million would be intended for the rehabilitation of upland, agro-forestry areas. This project aims to benefit 18,000 households.