30 barangays in Occidental Mindoro submerged in floods due to Habagat, 'Crising'

MANILA -- Thirty barangays from six towns in Occidental Mindoro are submerged in floods following heavy rains brought about by the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was intensified by Tropical Storm Crising.

The affected towns include Rizal, Magsaysay, San Jose, Calintaan, Sablayan, and Mamburao.

Hundreds of hectares of rice fields were also inundated by the floodwaters. In Calintaan alone, over 300 hectares of rice paddies were affected.

"Planting season ngayon, pangalawang tanim namin," said Bernadette Driza, head of the Calintaan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO). "So bumagyo ulit tapos lubog 'yung palayan namin. So after po nito, malamang wala na ulit natira doon sa tinanim."

According to Sally Lamoca, head of the Occidental Mindoro Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), around 345 families or 1,187 individuals have been evacuated.

Of that number, 228 families or 765 individuals are staying in evacuation centers, while others have temporarily sought shelter with relatives.

Relief operations led by the provincial and municipal governments, along with various organizations, continue to assist the affected residents.

However, one of the main concerns of the PSWDO is the livelihood of farmers whose crops were destroyed and the fishermen who are unable to go out to sea due to rough waters.

"Mas nakikita natin na magiging problema natin ay yung mga nasa tabing dagat, 'yung kabuhayan nila ay pagsasaka at pagdadagat kasi katulad noong mangingisda natin... ilang araw naming hindi nakakalaot," said Lamoca.

According to Mario Mulingbayan, head of the Occidental Mindoro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), one of the reasons for the flooding is that rivers could no longer handle the massive volume of rainwater.

Mulingbayan explained that the rivers have become shallow and need to be deepened.

"Sana mapag-aralan at makita na ang pagpapalalim ng ilog ay isa sa mga pamamaraan na makakabawas sapagkat sa halip na pumunta sa mga katubigan natin, sa mga ari-arian, sa kabahayan ay kung malalim sanacang ilog ay ito po ay dire-diretsong pupunta sa ating dagat," Mulingbayan said.

The Occidental Mindoro provincial government has launched a river restoration program that includes dredging in several rivers, but many residents and groups have expressed opposition, citing possible negative effects on the environment.