Farmers in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, are grappling with a serious problem as their rice harvests suffer from flooding caused by recent storms #KristinePH and #LeonPH.

With fields submerged for four to five days, many rice crops have turned black and are now unsellable, as traders refuse to buy them.

On Monday, November 4, 2024, several farmers took advantage of the good weather to dry their crops out. However, the outlook remains grim.

"Ayaw na bilhin ang palay namin kasi mabaho na daw," Libreng Tandingan, a farmer, said.

So as not to put the harvest to waste, Tandingan said they might just have to consume it themselves.

"Kaya ang gagawin namin, ipapakiskis namin, kami na lang ang kakain noon," Tandingan added.

The Municipal Agriculture Office is aware of the farmers' plight.

Hundreds of farmers have filed indemnity claims with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) to recover losses.

"Nakakahanda na ang ibibigay nating binhi para sa kanila, para kung magtatanim na sila [ay] mayroon na silang magagamit," Merle Cuison-Sali, the Mangaldan Municipal Agriculturist, said.

As validation efforts for affected farmers begin, hope remains that support will come to alleviate their struggles and help them restart their planting efforts.