Based on the final report of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) of Capiz, the Frank Report, the total damage on crops, livestock and fishery in the province was posted at P657,292,350.40.

The said report was submitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the joint Cabinet and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting in Iloilo today (1 July).

The total damage on crops reached P405,239,350.40 while the losses on fishery, aquaculture and mariculture was recorded at P184,453,000, the report shows, noting a P67,600,000 damage on livestock.

With the bulk of losses on agriculture and fishery in Capiz and in Western Visayas, the Department of Agriculture (DA) needs a budget much higher than the P600 million it had originally proposed to Malacañang for farm rehabilitation efforts in the 10 storm-battered regions.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said that the total damages to agriculture and fisheries wrought by typhoon "Frank" have already reached P7.029 billion, with the bulk of the losses in Western Visayas.

He said that they are now revising the P609.2-million rehabilitation plan so the DA can extend financial aid to the still increasing number of stakeholders in the fisheries subsector; to those growing palay, corn and high value commercial crops (HVCCs); and to livestock and poultry growers reeling from the latest natural disaster.

Mr Yap was in Capiz on 27 June as part of his two-day inspection in Panay Island, to check the actual agricultural losses and assess the intervention measures needed to help affected farmers and fisherfolk get back on their feet.

He added that the DA executives are also factoring-in the amount needed to repair busted irrigation facilities covering over 50,000 hectares.