Marcos to seek rice importation amid El Niño, Egay agricultural damage

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Saturday that there was a need to start importing rice due to the El Niño and the agricultural damage from Super Typhoon Egay.

“I’m thinking about the national supply for rice, because, ini-import lahat gn Indonesia, nagsara ang Vietnam, India, nagsara, pero I think I can make a deal with India, baka meron tayong mapakiusapan doon. But we have to start importing already," Marcos said at the situation briefing held in Tuguegarao City earlier today.

This was after Cagayan province Governor Manuel Mamba said that as of July 28, Egay had caused P862,300,000 in damage to Cagayan's infrastructure, P1,050,380 in livestock, and P593,443,500.93 in agriculture.

Of the P593,443,500.93 in agricultural damage, at least P327 million was from corn fields, P123 million from High-Value Commercial Crops, P41 million from rice fields, and P47 million in fisheries.

“I think for the food packs we’re okay, ito lang sa infrastructures sa palay at mais malaki-laki ang damage,” Marcos said.

“Ang hirap nito kasi yung palay, iniisip ko na yung supply natin ‘pag nag-El Niño talaga. Mag-i-import na naman tayo,” he added.

Marcos said he planned to discuss the Philippines' rice supply situation with other Southeast Asian countries.

"Everyone is buying at the same time, that's why I'm nervous that the prices will be high even if we import," Marcos said.

Based on Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) records, Region 2 had 95,618 individuals, or 28,666 families, staying in evacuation centers in Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.

The OCD and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) allocated P13,425,469.64 worth of non-food items and financial assistance for the affected individuals in the region. — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News