The Department of Agriculture (DA) has recorded over a million pesos worth of damage due to the combined effects of southwest monsoon and Typhoon ''Bising'' in Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Western Visayas.

According to DA, damage to affected rice, corn and high value crops amounting to P1.34 million. It stressed that the weather system also affected a total of "90 farmers, with a volume of production loss at 38 metric tons (MT) and 96 hectares of agricultural areas."

Data from the agency shows that the majority or 93.53 percent of the losses were recorded due to the affected rice crops, 6.35 percent were corn while 0.12 percent for other produce.

The DA said a total of 93 hectares of rice farms were affected, of which 44 hectares were partially damaged while 52 other hectares were destroyed with recorded volume loss of 37 metric tons amounting to P1.25 million.

On the other hand, three hectares of corn were partially damaged with the volume loss of one metric ton worth P85,000 and one hectare of high value crops amounting to P1,000.

"Further damage and losses are expected in affected regions as field assessment and validation is on-going," it stated.

Some areas of the country are still experiencing rain and thunderstorms due to the effect of the southwest monsoon even though Typhoon ''Bising'' left the Philippine area of Responsibility last week. Robina Asido/DMS