The ongoing El Niño weather phenomenon has caused an estimated P151.3 million in damages to the Philippine agriculture sector, primarily affecting rice and corn crops, according to the Department of Agriculture. This is a significant increase from the P109.4 million reported at the end of January. Approximately 3,923 farmers in Western Visayas and the Zamboanga Peninsula have been impacted. The department has responded by spending P1 million on assistance efforts, including distributing vegetable seeds and procuring planting materials for crops that require less water.