The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) launched a rehabilitation program for the abaca industry in Bicol after typhoon Uwan ravaged plantations.
PhilFIDA said its crop damage report showed that typhoon Uwan destroyed over 55,000 hectares across the region’s five abaca-producing provinces.
Of this, 1,402 hectares were slightly damaged; 18,097 hectares were moderately damaged; and 35,699 hectares were heavily damaged.
Furthermore, the agency said the typhoon wiped out an estimated 7,492.90 metric tons (MT) of fiber worth over P38 million.
For farmers still reeling from the impacts of last year’s typhoons Pepito and Kristine, the agency said such a destruction proved a ‘crushing setback.’
‘Bicol is the country’s abaca powerhouse-the region that introduced Manila hemp to the world,’ Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement.
‘We owe it to our abaca farmers to help them recover quickly and rebuild stronger. Their resilience fuels rural economies, and we will stand with them every step of the way,’ he added.
To start the region’s recovery, PhilFIDA and DOLE said they will activate a Labor Incentive Program under the labor agency’s TUPAD cash-for-work scheme.
The partnership aims to restore 4,505.81 hectares of abaca farms within three months and help thousands of families in the region regain their footing.
As such, some 23,619 farmers will be mobilized to clear debris, trim damaged stalks, reinforce standing plants, and replant uprooted or shallow-rooted abaca.
Slightly damaged stands will be trimmed and rehabilitated, while heavily affected farms will undergo full replanting with disease-free suckers screened by PhilFIDA and local abaca focal persons.
PhilFIDA also said its technicians will map damaged sites, verify the extent of losses, and document conditions. These reports would be needed by DOLE before releasing any cash-for-work payments.
Farms will undergo pre-replanting inspections to confirm planting materials are available and areas are properly cleared, according to the agency.
Furthemore, PhilFIDA said replanting density will depend on the level of damage: 400 suckers per hectare in severely hit farms, 200 in moderately affected areas, and 100 in slightly damaged zones.
After replanting, a joint inspection team will check survival rates of replanted suckers and certify results, the agency said.
PhilFIDA said farmers will receive DOLE’s cash-for-work incentives: P3,000 per hectare for slightly damaged farms, P5,000 for moderate damage, and P10,000 for heavily damaged areas.
In 2024, Bicol accounted nearly one-third of the nation’s abaca output, with Catanduanes alone contributing 82 percent.