The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is ready to provide assistance to areas that may be affected by bad weather caused by Tropical Depression Dodong.

“The following assistance will be provided to the affected farmers and fishers: rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; survival and Recovery (SURE) Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC); and Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of affected areas,” the agency said in a statement.

This, as standing crops such as rice and corn in four regions may be affected by the cyclone.

The DA-Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Operations Center’s bulletin issued at 3 p.m. said over 700,000 hectares in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera may be affected.

“Based on the combined data of Regions I, II, III and CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), the area of standing crops that may be affected by Tropical Depression “Dodong” totals 421,153 hectares (78.80 percent of the national standing crops) for rice and 302,690 hectares (71.09 percent of the national standing crops) for corn,” it said.

As of 5 p.m. Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Dodong was last tracked over the coastal waters of Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

From Friday to Saturday morning, heavy rain (50-100 mm accumulated rainfall) is expected over Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, La Union and Pangasinan.

The weather bureau, however, noted that the rains brought by the tropical cyclone would be beneficial to farmers and fisherfolk in some areas along its path. (PNA)